Paralegal A.S.

Program Description The Paralegal Studies program is intended to prepare students for employment as paralegals in various legal sectors. The terms "paralegal" and "legal assistant" are often used interchangeably to refer to persons who are qualified through education, training, or work experience, and are employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency, or other entity in a capacity or function that involves the performance of substantial legal work under the direction and supervision of a licensed attorney. Tasks performed by a paralegal include, but are not limited to, case planning, development, and management; legal research; interviewing clients; fact gathering and retrieving information; drafting and analyzing legal documents; collecting, compiling, and utilizing technical information to make a recommendation to the supervising attorney. The Paralegal Studies program emphasizes practical application and the development of up-to-date paralegal related job skills, in addition to teaching legal theory. The program is designed to enhance the ability of students to reason, understand and apply correct principles of law by teaching research, analytical, and critical thinking skills. Graduates of the program will possess skills to enter the paralegal profession. It also allows those already working as paralegals to improve their understanding of the paralegal profession. Pursuant to California law, students who earn a degree or certificate from an accredited post-secondary institution and complete sufficient coursework may work as paralegals. Chaffey College’s Paralegal Studies program meets and exceeds those requirements. Chaffey College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Paralegal students are required to complete enough coursework to satisfy the state mandate. The Associate of Science degree in Paralegal Studies is appropriate for students who do not have a college or university degree.

Enrollment & Completer Projections for Paralegal A.S. 2015/16 # SECTIONS 2015/16 COMPLETERS 2016/17 # SECTIONS 2016/17 COMPLETERS BUSL 28A (BUS 28A) 17 605 8 225 BUSL 28B (BUS 28B) 3 92 2 53 BUSL 400 0 0 2 40 BUSL 401 0 0 1 14 BUSL 402 (BUSPL 402) 1 21 0 0 BUSL 403 (BUSPK 403) 1 21 2 40 BUSL 404 (BUSPL 404) 1 32 0 0 BUSL 405 new course 2/17 new course 2/17 BUSL 406 new course 2/17 new course 2/17 BUSL 10 2 40 1 16 BUSL 50 0 0 0 0 BUSL 407 new course 3/17 new course 3/17 BUSL 408 new course 2/17 new course 2/17 BUSL 409 new course 2/17 new course 2/17 BUSL 410 (BUS 410) 1 36 0 0 BUSL 411 new course 2/17 new course 2/17 BUSL 412 new course 2/17 new course 2/17 BUSL 413 new course 2/17 new course 2/17 BUSL 435 0 0 Degrees and Certificate Awards BUSPL Cert. 29 NA

1. Students shall demonstrate competence and understanding of basic job skills to enter the paralegal profession. 2. Students shall have a basic understanding of different career opportunities for paralegals in the business and legal sectors. 3. Students shall demonstrate legal problem solving skills, supported by appropriate analytical and critical thinking techniques. 4. Students shall be able to produce professional quality documents of the type used in the legal profession. 5. Students shall demonstrate effective interpersonal communication and teamwork skills in a collaborative setting. 6. Students shall examine a variety of general education subjects that enable them to better understand the broader world in which the legal system operates.

Core Courses for the Paralegal Studies degree: Units BUSL28A Business Law I 3 BUSL28B Business Law II 3 BUSL400 Introduction to Paralegal Studies 3 BUSL401 Legal Research and Writing 3 BUSL402 Civil Litigation 3 BUSL403 Evidence 3 BUSL404 Law Office Operations 3 BUSL405 Legal Document Preparation 3 BUSL406 Advanced Legal Research and Writing 3 Plus a minimum of 9 units from the following: Units BUSL10 Introduction to Law and the Legal Process 3 BUSL50 Legal Aspects of Real Estate 3 BUSL407 Criminal Law & Procedure 3 BUSL408 Bankruptcy and Debtor/Creditor Relations 3 BUSL409 Family Law 3 BUSL410 International Business Law 3 BUSL411 Estate Planning and Probate Law 3 BUSL412 Immigration Law 3 BUSL413 Workers' Compensation Law 3 BUSL435 The Law of Marketing and Business Competition 3 Total Units 36 Plus additional 35-37 from either CSU-GE or IGETC GE pattern TOTAL 71-73 units