LEGAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL

Legal SupportProfessional

Thisprogram is an interdisciplinary program designed to increase students’understanding of the knowledge and skills needed in the legal industry andlaw-related fields. Upon completion, students are prepared to enter employmentworking with attorneys and legal professionals in law firms and law-relatedpublic and private offices.

 

 

It is estimated that the number of sections of core courses to be offered annuallywill be 256:

(Primary core courses include: Philosophy 6 (10), English 101(200),Accounting 21 (2), Computer Science 201 (20), Law 1 (20) and Law 2 (4).)

 

It is estimated that the headcount will be 25-30 students perclass.

 

It is estimated that the number of program completers per year atthe end of second year of program operations will be 10-20.

 

It is estimated that the number of program completers per year atthe end of fifth year of program operations will be 20-30.

 

As the above information is reflected asestimates, it is expected that enrollment would grow as students learn aboutthe new program.

With the demand in the law, business and regulatory industries for qualified and experienced office staff, the need for employees qualified in the legal support professional fields of paralegal, legal assistant, legal secretary, office assistant, legal office manager are increasing and will continue to grow.  The Legal Support Professional Certificate of Achievement, an 18-unit program curriculum provides students with basic knowledge and skills necessary for working in a professional law office environment.  Students will learn essential skills including legal research, legal writing, filing forms, preparing legal documents, monitoring new government regulations, understanding computer systems and office applications. The program also builds students’ critical thinking skills and develops exemplary writing skills, combined with an understanding of the legal system and basic knowledge of the law.  Students’ legal knowledge will include an understanding of contracts, bailments, sales law, agency, partnerships, corporations, real and personal property, labor and employment law, immigration, suretyship, wills and trusts, banking, debt security interests, intellectual property, fiduciary relationships, bankruptcy and international law.  The curriculum includes an on-the-job supervised training employment component that provides real hands-on legal support experience while receiving course credit. Students follow a guided pathway with a set of clear courses and internship opportunities leading to employment.   

The program is designed to prepare students for a direct pathway to employment in a support capacity in the legal profession as a paralegal, legal secretary, legal assistant, office assistant, court clerk and/or legal office manager, court clerk or courthouse administrator, in a private or public law-related office environment, as well as develop critical thinking and writing skills in preparation for the LSAT exam for those who wish to earn a law degree.

The program is “stackable” to other certificates and degrees.  Students can acquire valuable certificates to increase employment opportunities and units fulfilling course requirements which lead directly to the completion of an Associate Degree for Transfer (AA-T) in “Law, Public Policy and Society”.

 

The program is “stackable” to other certificates and degrees.  Students can acquire valuable certificates to increase employment opportunities and units fulfilling course requirements which lead directly to the completion of an Associate Degree for Transfer (AA-T) in “Law, Public Policy and Society”.

 

IN ADDITION TO THE COURSES LISTED BELOW, 

LAW17, Legal Writing, is an optional core course that may substitute for ENGLISH 101, CollegeReading and Composition I.

LAW51, Legal Research, is an optional core course that may substitute for ACCTG21, Bookkeeping and Accounting.

LAW 931, Cooperative Education-Law, is an optional core course that may substitute for LAW 02, Business Law 2.

Course	Title	Units	Year/Semester (Y1 or S1)
ENGLISH 101 ORLAW 17 PHILOSO 06	College Reading and Composition I Legal Writing LOGIC IN PRACTICE	3 3 3	S1
ACCT 21 ORLAW 51	BOOKEEPING AND ACCOUNTING LEGAL RESEARCH	3 3	S2
CO SCI 201	INTRO TO COMPUTER SYSTEMS	3	S1
LAW 01LAW 2 LAW 931	BUSINESS IBUSINESS IIORCOOPERATIVE ED- LAW	33 3	S2

BUSINESS

Within the Los Angeles Community College District and Los Angeles service area within commuting distance, none of the colleges have the identical course offerings as in this certificate. What makes this certificate unique is that the core curriculum courses - legal research and legal writing course, logic in practice and English writing, along with industry internship - lead to an approved Associate Degree for Transfer for those students wishing to pursue an Associate Degree. Several colleges have similar programs, including: Mission College, L.A. Trade Tech, West L.A. College, Los Angeles City College El Camino College, Cerritos College, Mt San Antonio College, Rio Hondo College and Pasadena City College. These programs are similar only in that they offer curriculum within a related field – Paralegal.

It is estimated that the number of sections of core courses to be offered annually will be 256: (Primary core courses include: Philosophy 6 (10), English 101(200), Accounting 21 (2), Computer Science 201 (20), Law 1 (20) and Law 2 (4).) It is estimated that the headcount will be 25-30 students per class. It is estimated that the number of program completers per year at the end of second year of program operations will be 10-20. It is estimated that the number of program completers per year at the end of fifth year of program operations will be 20-30.