Paralegal Professional

The Paralegal Studies course provides entry-level learners with a comprehensive foundation in the substantive law, professional responsibilities, and practical skills needed to begin preparing for work in the paralegal profession. The course introduces the paralegal role and ethical responsibilities before examining major areas of law, including the United States legal system and administrative law, civil litigation, contracts, torts, corporate and commercial law, real estate and property, criminal law and procedure, estate planning and probate, debtor and creditor relations and bankruptcy, and family law.

Throughout the course, learners examine legal concepts from the perspective of the working paralegal, with an emphasis on recognizing legal issues, understanding procedures, organizing information, supporting attorneys, maintaining professional and ethical boundaries, and applying legal concepts to realistic workplace situations.

The course also develops the legal writing, critical-thinking, and analytical skills needed to move from learning legal concepts to applying them. Learners practice identifying relevant facts and legal issues, working with legal authority, applying rules to facts, organizing legal analysis using the IRAC method, drawing logical conclusions, and communicating legal analysis clearly and professionally.

Program Objectives

After completing this program, learners will be able to:

• Explain the role and responsibilities of the paralegal and apply professional and ethical standards related to confidentiality, conflicts of interest, attorney supervision, and the unauthorized practice of law.
• Describe the structure of the United States legal system, sources of American law, court systems, judicial remedies, and the functions of administrative agencies.
• Explain the major stages of civil litigation and the paralegal’s role in pleadings, discovery, evidence management, litigation deadlines, trial preparation, and alternative dispute resolution.
• Apply fundamental principles of contract law to recognize issues involving contract formation, enforceability, defenses, breach, remedies, and transactions governed by the Uniform Commercial Code.
• Analyze basic tort situations to distinguish intentional torts, negligence, strict liability, and product liability and identify the elements, defenses, and damages associated with potential claims.
• Distinguish among major forms of business organization and explain foundational concepts involving business formation, governance, rights and responsibilities, commercial transactions, and dissolution.
• Apply foundational real estate and property law concepts involving ownership, property rights, encumbrances, real estate transactions, deeds, title, and landlord-tenant relationships.
• Explain fundamental principles of criminal law and procedure, including elements of crimes, criminal defenses, criminal procedure, and constitutional protections under the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments.
• Apply foundational concepts of estate planning, probate, debtor and creditor relations, bankruptcy, and family law to common matters encountered in paralegal practice.
• Recognize relationships among different areas of substantive and procedural law and identify the legal issues, facts, documents, and parties that may be relevant to a client matter.
• Produce clear, organized legal analysis using appropriate professional writing conventions, legal authority, citation practices, and the Issue, Rule, Application, Conclusion method.
• Analyze legal fact patterns to distinguish relevant from irrelevant facts, identify legal issues and governing rules, apply law to facts, evaluate competing arguments, and develop logical, supported conclusions.

Certification Opportunities

After completing this program, learners will have the option to take the leading national/industry-recognized certification exam(s) essential to entry-level employment in this fast-growing field.

	National Workforce Career Association (NWCA) Paralegal Professional (L-PARA)
	NALA Certified Paralegal Exam