This program has been approved by the American Bar Association. Volunteer State is a member of the American Association for Paralegal Education. The College offers the program to prepare students for work in a legal environment as a paralegal/legal assistant, as well as to provide a general understanding of substantive and procedural legal principles for those planning to transfer to a four-year institution and possibly prepare to attend law school. Note that the American Bar Association defines a legal assistant or a paralegal as “a person qualified by education, training, or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency, or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible.” Paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law.
Inasmuch as LAW courses are not universally transferable, a student who wishes to transfer from this program to a baccalaureate program is responsible for information about transferability of course work to a four year institution. Further, this program should be planned only with the assistance of the Paralegal Studies faculty.
Entry and retention standards for this program include: completion of all developmental requirements, except mathematics, which may be taken concurrently with LAW courses; completion of ENGL 1010, LAW 100, and LAW 101 with a final grade of “C” or better as requirement for enrollment in further law courses unless otherwise approved by Paralegal Studies faculty; completion of an interview or attendance at a meeting with Paralegal Studies Faculty; maintenance of satisfactory progress with no grade below “C” in any LAW course; and following of the planned curriculum.
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