Paralegal/Legal Assistant Certificate

Catalog Description

The paralegal program is intended to prepare students for employment as paralegals in both private and public sectors following graduation. According to the American Bar Association's House of Delegates: "A paralegal is a person, qualified by education, training or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible.” Paralegals must comply with the legal restrictions in the practice of law by nonlawyers. The California Business & Professions Code, Section 6450 et seq, governs paralegals in California. 

This certificate requires previous completion of an associate or baccalaureate degree. Note that the American Bar Association does not recognize the following Mt. SAC courses as meeting its definition of General Education: ARTB 14, ARTD 15A, ARTD 20, ARTD 25A, ARTS 30A, ARTS 40A, THTR 11, MUS 7, AD 3 and COUN 5. 

Student Learning Outcomes

• Students completing the Paralegal/Legal Assistant Certificate will have increased their confidence in basic paralegal skills. 

• Students completing the Paralegal/Legal Assistant Certificate will competently prepare basic legal documents such as motions and discovery, as they would be asked to do under the direction and supervision of a licensed attorney. 

• Students completing the Paralegal/Legal Assistant Certificate will have earned Lexis certification for paralegals. 

• Students completing the Paralegal/Legal Assistant Certificate will have earned Westlaw certification for paralegals 

Course Department Number	Course Title	Annual # Sections	Annual Enrollment Total
PLGL 30	Introduction to Paralegal/Legal	2	72
PLGL 31	Legal Analysis and Writing	2	72
PLGL 32	Advanced Legal Analysis and Writing	2	72
PLGL 33	Civil Procedure	2	72
PLGL 34	Law Office Procedures	2	72
PLGL 35	Law Office Technology	2	72
PLGL 37	Tort Law	2	72
PLGL 38	Employment and Ethical Issues in Paralegalism	2	72
PLGL 39	Contract Law	2	72
Paralegal Elective	BUSL 18 (Business Law); BUSL 19 (Adv. Business Law); PLGL 41 (Property Law); PLGL 42 (Family Law); PLGL 43 (Wills and Trusts); PLGL 44 (Bankruptcy Law); Criminal Law and Procedures (PLGL 48); or PLGL 439	2	72

Total Estimated Completers: 50 

 

Paralegal Program Goals and Objectives

1.     To provide students with an adequate education in general studies, a core paralegal

curriculum, and additional courses in specialty areas.

2.     To maintain a sound, but flexible educational framework that is responsive to the dynamic

nature of the legal profession.

3.     To maintain a quality education program that stresses practical application and development

of job skills as well as the teaching of legal theory.

4.     To enhance the ability of students to reason, understand, and apply correct principles by

teaching analytical and critical skills as opposed to rote learning.

5.     To develop competency in paralegal students so graduates are occupationally prepared to

work in the paralegal field in a variety of settings.

6.     To provide students with the opportunity to participate in practical legal internship settings in

order to improve their understanding and enhance their job abilities in the paralegal field.

7.     To maintain a program that instills proper respect for the legal profession, its ethics, and its

foundations.

8.     To promote professional responsibility by teaching ethical legal principles and practice.

9.     To meet the needs of the student population that is ethnically diverse, age variable, and

comes from a variety of backgrounds.

10.   To ensure that students have written and verbal communication skills, as well as reading skills,

that will enable them to communicate effectively with both attorneys and clients.

11.   To provide students with the technological skills necessary to enter the paralegal field without

requiring additional technological training.

12.   To assist students in the employment process.

A student who previously completed an associate or baccalaureate degree may earn the Paralegal/Legal Assistant Certificate by completing PLGL 30 (Introduction to Paralegal); PLGL 31 (Legal Analysis and Writing); PLGL 32 (Advanced Legal Analysis and Writing); PLGL 33 (Civil Procedure); PLGL 34 (Law Office Procedures); PLGL 35 (Law Office Technology); PLGL 37 (Tort Law); PLGL 38 (Employment and Ethical Issues in Paralegalism); PLGL 39 (Contract Law); and one elective.  A student may choose from among the following electives:  BUSL 18 (Business Law); BUSL 19 (Advanced Business Law); PLGL 41 (Property Law); PLGL 42 (Family Law); PLGL 43 (Wills and Trusts); PLGL 44 (Bankruptcy Law); PLGL 48 (Criminal Law and Procedures); or PLGL 49 (Evidence Law).

Certificate of Achievement: Paralegal/Legal Assistant
Course ID	Title	Units	Sequence
PLGL 30	Introduction to Paralegal/Legal	3.0	Yr 1, Fall
PLGL 31	Legal Analysis and Writing	3.0	Yr 1, Fall
PLGL 32	Advanced Legal Analysis and Writing	3.0	Yr 1, Spring
PLGL 33	Civil Procedure	3.0	Yr 1, Fall
PLGL 34	Law Office Procedures	3.0	Yr 1, Fall
PLGL 35	Law Office Technology	3.0	Yr 1, Spring
PLGL 37	Tort Law	3.0	Yr 1, Spring
PLGL 38	Employment and Ethical Issues in Paralegalism	3.0	Yr 1, Spring
PLGL 39	Contract Law	3.0	Yr 1, Spring
Choose One Elective from the following:
Paralegal Elective	BUSL 18 (Business Law)	3.0	Yr 1, Fall
Paralegal Elective	BUSL 19 (Adv. Business Law)	3.0	Yr 1, Fall
Paralegal Elective	PLGL 41 (Property Law)	3.0	Yr 1, Fall
Paralegal Elective	PLGL 42 (Family Law)	3.0	Yr 1, Fall
Paralegal Elective	PLGL 43 (Wills and Trusts)	3.0	Yr 1, Fall
Paralegal Elective	PLGL 44 (Bankruptcy Law)	3.0	Yr 1, Fall
Paralegal Elective	PLGL 48 (Criminal Law and Procedures)	3.0	Yr 1, Fall
Paralegal Elective	PLGL 49 (Evidence Law)	3.0	Yr 1, Fall
	Total Required Units:	30.0

 

Paralegal Certificate (which mirrors existing paralegal degree without general education requirements)

Cerritos; East LA; El Camino; LA City; LA Mission; LA Trade-Tech; Pasadena City College; West LA

We anticipate enrollment of approximately 72 students per year who complete the ten required classes.

This proposal concerns a new certificate in paralegal/legal assisting. The new certificate will be in addition to our existing ABA-approved paralegal degree, which we have had for many years.