2023-2024 Catalog: September 2023 Edition [ARCHIVED]
Paralegal Studies
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Dean: Traci Fahimi
Academic Chair: June McLaughlin, Esq., LLM, LLM
Courses
This American Bar Association (ABA)-approved paralegal studies program provides students with the skills and knowledge needed to work as a paralegal in civil litigation, bankruptcy, or estate planning law firms; an understanding of ethical rules and regulations applicable to legal professionals; and a practical introduction to legal research and writing.
Major
A paralegal is an individual who, although not a member of the legal profession, is qualified through education, training, and/or work experience to be employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, governmental agency, or other entity. The paralegal performs specifically delegated substantive legal work under the direction and supervision of an attorney. Some of the services that the paralegal provides for an attorney include legal research; development of law office systems; client interviews; drafts; pleadings; case briefs; legal calendaring; preparing discovery for litigated cases; preparing drafts of wills and trusts; and maintaining client records and files.
The paralegal program at Irvine Valley College prepares students to assist attorneys as paralegals in administrative agencies, corporations, insurance companies, private law firms, government and other legal environments. Emphasis is on training students in the practical application and development of up-to-date paralegal related job skills. In addition, the program introduces students to legal theory.
Potential Careers
Paralegals are employed by corporate legal departments, government offices, law firms, and any entity involved with regulatory compliance. They can work in many different areas of the law, including litigation, personal injury, criminal law, employment law, intellectual property, bankruptcy, immigration, family law, and real estate.
Paralegal Associate of Sciences Degree & Certificate of Achievement Requirements
Students who do not already possess an associate or bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university must complete an associate degree (60 units) to receive the Certificate of Achievement. This requirement follows the ABA Guidelines for paralegal programs. Degree & Certificate of Achievement candidate students are required to attend a paralegal orientation or a counseling session. Students must achieve a grade point average of 2.0 or higher in each paralegal studies course.
Paralegal studies course work taken at other institutions in an ABA approved program, with approval by the paralegal studies department, will qualify for no more than nine (9) units of transfer credit in legal specialty courses in the paralegal studies certificate program. Upon completion of the degree program, students will be awarded an associate degree in Paralegal Studies and a Certificate of Achievement in Paralegal Studies approved by the American Bar Association.
Students possessing a transferable associate or bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university, with official transcripts on file at Irvine Valley College, will be awarded a Certificate of Achievement in Paralegal Studies approved by the American Bar Association upon completion of the required courses.
ProgramsAssociate in ScienceAssociate in Arts for TransferCertificate of Achievement
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