Paralegal Studies General Practice Specialization AAS

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PURPOSE

There is a need in the greater Richmond area and throughout Virginia for paralegals. There is a need to train those who are presently employed in legal secretarial or legal assistant positions who wish to become paralegals. The Paralegal Studies Associate of Applied Science degree is designed to meet these educational needs by preparing individuals to perform as legal assistants or paralegals under the supervision of an attorney.

The program is approved by the American Bar Association.

OCCUPATIONAL OBJECTIVES

Paralegal for private law firms, administrative agencies, other governmental agencies, mortgage companies, title insurance companies, and corporations

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

All Paralegal Studies graduates will:

Acheive certification in select software programs used in the legal field
Conduct information search and retrieval on various government and administrative websites including but not limited to Virginia Courts Online, Virginia State Corporation Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and PACER
Explore development of artificial intelligence tools within the legal field
Articulate complex legal concepts clearly and concisely
Apply precise legal terminology, proper grammar, and Bluebook citation conventions to produce well-structured legal documents including but not limited to memos, briefs, contracts, and legal correspondence
Assist in substantive legal content in trial preparation and discovery, torts, eDiscovery, and Administrative Practice and Procedure
Apply ethical responsibilities associated with the Canons of the NALA Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility, court rules, agency rules, and governing statutes to resolve ethical problems
Conduct comprehensive legal research and effectively evaluate the credibility and relevance of various sources, including online databases, case law, statutes, and secondary materials, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the sources collected
Assist in substantive legal content including but not limited to real estate transactions, bankruptcy proceedings, and estate planning and probate matters

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

General college curricular admission

PROGRAM NOTES

It is strongly recommended that students meet with the program head before registering for classes, or as early as possible in their first semester of enrollment. Students with developmental studies course recommendations resulting from the English placement test must complete those courses prior to admission to any Paralegal Studies (LGL) course. Students placed in co-requisites EDE 11 and ENG 111 must complete those courses either prior to or concurrently with LGL 110 . Any student who receives a final grade lower than C in any of the courses in the Paralegal Studies curriculum must obtain permission from the program head to continue as a student in the Paralegal Studies program. Students will be required by the program head to repeat LGL-prefix courses and ENG 111-ENG 112 courses where grades below C are received.

Legal assistants, paralegals, and other non-lawyers are prohibited from practicing law without a license.

Paralegals and legal assistants may not provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law.

COMPUTER COMPETENCY REQUIREMENT

Students in this program will meet the college’s computer competency requirement by successfully completing LGL 222 - Information Technology for the Paralegal.

TRANSFER OF LEGAL SPECIALTY COURSES

The Paralegal Studies program accepts the transfer of legal specialty course credits completed at other institutions if the institution is accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting body, such as the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. A legal specialty course is a course that:

Covers substantive law or legal procedures or process
Has been developed for paralegals
Emphasizes practical paralegal skills, and
Meets other guidelines of the American Bar Association

Legal specialty courses: LGL 117 , LGL 125 , LGL 126 , LGL 216 , LGL 221 , LGL 222 , LGL 225 , LGL 226 , LGL 235 , and LGL 238 .

Credits from another institution for legal specialty courses will only be awarded if delivered in a format that meets the guidelines of a legal specialty course as defined by the American Bar Association and is approved by the Paralegal Studies program head. Students may have to submit their work product before approval will be granted. In all cases, the grade for such course must be C or better, and no such credit will be given to any courses awarded at an institution outside of the United States. No credit by examination or portfolio is allowed for legal specialty coursework, and no more than fifty percent (50%) of legal specialty credits required by the Paralegal Studies program shall be accepted for transfer credit.

FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY TRANSFER INFORMATION

A standing articulation agreement exists with the University of Richmond’s Continuing School of Education, Bachelor of Science in Paralegal Studies.

Program Maps

A Program Map is a template an advisor uses to create an individual Academic Plan for a student. The Academic Plan becomes customized based on a student’s goals, preferences, and previous coursework in High School or elsewhere.

Paralegal - General Practice AAS Specialization Full-time Program Map

Paralegal - General Practice AAS Specialization Part-time Program Map

Planning Tools

Is it right for you? Career Connect Center at Reynolds College for tools to explore career options, develop professional skills, and connect with employers.

What’s next? Check out TransferVA to learn how your Reynolds classes may transfer to in-state colleges.

Customized program maps: Once enrolled, students will have access to our Navigate software, with options to customize their program maps based on post-graduation and transfer goals.