Paralegal Studies -- Certificate of Achievement Advanced -- Intellectual Property Concentration

The Paralegal Studies Certificate of Achievement-Advanced -- Intellectual Property Concentration prepares students to work under the supervision of an attorney in an Intellectual Property law practice, in-house (corporate), government agency, or non-profit organization. Paralegal duties in an Intellectual Property practice include performing factual and legal research; drafting and preparing correspondence and documents for filing with the United States and international governments; preparing Information Disclosure Statements; interviewing clients and witnesses; organizing and maintaining case files; coordinating the use of technology in legal work; assisting attorneys with work related to due diligence; and in an Intellectual Property litigation practice -- assisting attorneys in pretrial work, including document discovery and analysis, and during trials and hearings.

15-25 for the first year

The Certificate of Achievement Advanced -- Intellectual Property Concentration will be available only to Paralegal Studies students who currently possess an Associates degree or higher. This certificate option will offer students the necessary training and knowledge to enter or advance their careers in the legal field within an Intellectual Property Law practice. This Certificate of Achievement is designed to prepare students for employment opportunities within this highly specialized area of law.

The De Anza College's Paralegal Studies program is approved by the American Bar Association (ABA). The number of credits required to earn a Certificate of Achievement Advanced -- Intellectual Property Concentration conforms with the ABA-established guidelines. The current Certificate of Achievement Advanced in Paralegal Studies requires a student to complete 48 quarter units. The purpose of the Certificate of Achievement Advanced -- Intellectual Property Concentration is to prepare students to enter the workforce in this specialized area of law, while still obtaining the required general knoweldge and skills for the paralegal profession.   

 

The Certificate of Achievement-Advanced -- Intellectual Property Concentration program is part of De Anza College's existing Paralegal Studies program. In Silicon Valley, there is a high demand for qualified paralegals who can work with firms or on projects that involve Intellectual Property. At this time, there is no other community college within the Bay Area that offers a Paralegal certificate program that specializes in the area of Intellectual Property practice.

Course	Title	Units	Year/Semester (Y1 or S1)
PARA 067	Law Office Management for Paralegals	2	Y1
PARA 088	The Paralegal and Professional Responsibility	2	Y1
PARA 086	Legal Analysis	4	Y1
PARA 094	Introduction to California Law	4	Y2
PARA 095	Overview of American Law	4	Y2
PARA 096A	Introduction to Legal Research and Writing	4	Y2
PARA 085	Intellectual Property Law	4	Y1

None

The Certificate of Achievement-Advanced -- Intellectual Property Concentration program is part of De Anza College's existing Paralegal Studies program. This new certificate offering focuses on one specific area of legal practice. On account of the high concentration of information technology company headquarters and venture capital firms, Silicon Valley has a high demand for qualified paralegals who can work with firms or on projects that involve Intellectual Property. At this time, there is no other community college within the Bay Area that offers a Paralegal certificate program that specializes in the area of Intellectual Property practice. The following is an overview of the Paralegal programs offered by community colleges in the South Bay and Peninsula regions. West Valley College's Paralegal program is ABA-approved, requiring 35-semester units in order to earn a certificate. Skyline College and City College of San Francisco also offer ABA-approved Paralegal certificate and degree programs. In addition to programs offered at community college, CSU East Bay Continuing Education and San Francisco State University College of Extended Learning offer ABA-approved Paralegal programs. It should be noted that the cost is significantly higher than those offered by community colleges.