PARALEGAL STUDIES PROGRAM
American Bar Association (A.B.A.) Approved
A.A.S. DEGREE
The purpose of this program is to train paralegals/legal assistants. It is not intended to be a program for training lawyers or legal administrators. A paralegal/legal assistant may not engage in the practice of law by accepting cases, giving legal advice, appearing in court, setting fees, etc. Engaging in the unauthorized practice of law is a crime in the State of New Jersey.
The New Jersey State Bar Association defines a paralegal/legal assistant as an individual qualified through education, training or work experience who is retained by a lawyer, law office, governmental agency or other entity to perform, under the direction and supervision of a lawyer, specifically delegated substantive legal work, which for the most part requires sufficient knowledge of legal concepts and which, absent the paralegal or legal assistant, would be performed by a lawyer.
The Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility of the National Association of Legal Assistants, Inc., in its Preamble, provides that it is the responsibility of every paralegal/legal assistant to adhere strictly to the accepted standards of legal ethics and to live by general principles of proper conduct. The performance of the duties of the paralegal/legal assistant is governed by specific canons of ethics in order that justice will be served and the goals of the profession attained.
This program, while not designed for transfer, may transfer in part or entirely to four year schools.
REQUIREMENTS:
General Education 20 credits, the distribution of which must include at least six credits in Communications (C), and at least three credits from each of Humanities (H), Math or Science (M) or (S), and Social Science (SS). All 20 credits must be from courses designated with a (?). Criminal Justice (CRJU) courses and MUSI 115, COMP 129 & EDUC 105 may not be used to satisfy the 20 credit General Education requirement.
| Career Studies - 16 credits as follows (Must take all 5 courses):
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| PLGL 105 Introduction to Law & Litigation
| 3 credits
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| PLGL 106 Legal Research & Writing
| 4 credits
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| PLGL 145 Professional Standards in Ethics for Legal Assistants
| 3 credits
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| PLGL 205 Litigation Assistance Procedures
| 3 credits
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| PLGL 210 Computer Applications in Law
| 3 credits
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| Career Studies - 12 credits from the following (Must take at least 4 courses):
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| PLGL 125 Real Property Transactions
| 3 credits
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| PLGL 135 Family Law
| 3 credits
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| PLGL 136 Administrative Law
| 3 credits
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| PLGL 215 Criminal Procedure
| 3 credits
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| PLGL 225 Wills, Estates, & Probate
| 3 credits
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| PLGL 226 Corporate Law Procedure
| 3 credits
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| PLGL 227 Introduction to Bankruptcy
| 1 credits
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| PLGL 228 Introduction to Workers Compensation
| 1 credits
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| PLGL 245 Introduction to Social Security Disability
| 1 credits
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| PLGL 299 Internship
| 3 credits
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| Electives - 9 credits FROM COURSES REMAINING ABOVE,
OR from the following (Can take up to 3 courses):
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| PLGL 126 Constitutional Law
| 3 credits
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| PLGL 206 Torts
| 3 credits
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| PLGL 207 Moot Court
| 4 credits
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| PLGL 235 Entertainment Law I
| 3 credits
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| PLGL 237 Elder Law
| 3 credits
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| PLGL 295 Special Project
| 1 - 4 credits
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| BUSI 221 Business Law I
| 3 credits
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| BUSI 222 Business Law II
| 3 credits
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| BTEC 105 Introduction to Computer Keyboarding
| 1 credit
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| BTEC 106 The ABCs of PCs
| 1 credit
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| Free Electives
| 3 credits
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| Total Credits
| 60 credits
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