Paralegal Studies Certificate

*This is an overview of the program. The course sequencing is meant to serve as a guideline for your semester planning. Please note that the scheduling of courses, program sequencing and curriculum are subject to change.*

The American Bar Association (ABA) has approved Lehigh Carbon Community College 's Paralegal Studies program. This certificate program is designed to meet the needs of the student who presently possesses college credit and is interested in pursuing a career as a paralegal.

Admission to the certificate program is limited to students that currently possess 30 semester hours of college credit, with grades of "C" or better for each course, of which 18 credits are distributed in at least three of the following acceptable General Education disciplines: English, Math, Science, Humanities and Social Science. The courses must be liberal arts credits and not technical. Admission is conditional.

The growth of the paralegal field provides excellent opportunities for employment and advancement. Qualified graduates of the Paralegal Studies certificate program can be hired by law firms, banks, title companies, real estate firms, corporations, and government agencies. Career possibilities include paralegal supervisor, trust coordinator, title searcher, settlement clerk, litigation specialist, contract coordinator, and a variety of other positions. An individual with legal skills can take those skills into a multitude of positions in the business environment, including but not limited to, human resources, records management, legal support, and government.

The students will gain an understanding of what paralegals can accomplish, as well as the limitations imposed by the unauthorized practice of law statute. An internship is available to provide students with practical experience in the paralegal field.

The primary goal of the program is to educate students to become paralegals who can perform effectively in a variety of legal settings and adapt to changes in the legal environment and law practice. The program prepares students for careers as paralegals working under the supervision of lawyers in either the public or private sectors.

Upon successful completion of this program, graduates will be able to:

• apply legal and business skills necessary for a position in a law office, bank, real estate office, government authority, or any position that uses the knowledge of law.
• demonstrate substantive knowledge and procedural knowledge of law.
• apply the rules of professional conduct governing lawyers and the application to paralegals.

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Up to nine PLG credits will be accepted for transfer into LCCC's PLG program from an ABA-approved program. PLG 200 must be completed at LCCC. PLG credit by assessment is limited to three credits. Total PLG transfer credit and credit by assessment is limited to nine credits.

*Or other appropriate courses as determined by the Paralegal Studies Coordinator to meet individual student's needs.

**The student must select the PLG electives from the following list: RES/PLG 110, PLG 115, PLG 125 & PLG 130 & PLG 135, PLG 230, PLG 235, PLG 240, PLG 250.

Paralegal Studies (Certificate)

Approximate Cost of Program

• On-Campus Room & Board: Not Offered

• More cost information can be found here: Tuition & Fees

Approximate Length of Program
Intended time to complete: 24 months

Program prepares graduates to enter occupations such as these:	O*NET Links
• Legal Secretaries (43-3012)
• Legal Support Workers, All Other (23-2099)
• Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers (23-2093)
• Court Reporters (23-2091)
• Paralegals and Legal Assistants (23-2011)

O*NET OnLine has detailed descriptions of the world of work for use by job seekers, workforce development, HR professionals, students, researchers, and more.

Completion Stats

* Paralegal Studies Certificate job placement rate for May, August, December 2010 graduates.