Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ Paralegal Studies
Approved by the , Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State University’s Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ Campus offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Paralegal Studies. Students also have the option to minor in Paralegal Studies in conjunction with a four-year baccalaureate degree (Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science). The interdisciplinary Paralegal Studies program is housed in the College of Arts and Sciences, and combines a liberal arts background with legal specialty courses to provide the graduate with analytical skills, the ability to conduct legal research, knowledge of the legal system, communication skills, and practical hands-on-experience.
All of the legal specialty electives with the exception of Patent Law rotate between traditional and online formats in order to appeal to each student’s learning preference and geographical location.
The Paralegal Studies Program Seeks to Achieve the following Goals and Objectives:
- Prepare students for employment in a law office, corporate legal department, or public entity to perform substantive legal work under the supervision of a lawyer;
- Train students in conducting legal research, maintaining and organizing files, and drafting legal documents;
- Prepare students in working with clients and witnesses; and
- Prepare students for assisting lawyers in preparing for trial.
Partnerships with Community Colleges
Students in a 2-year associate program can continue their paralegal education at Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State and obtain their bachelor’s degree. Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State has partnerships with the following colleges, which will allow for a smooth transition from their program to ours.
• Columbus State Community College
• Lakeland Community College
• We are continuing to build partnerships with at least four other area community colleges.
Focuses
Paralegals may be generalists meaning that their practice
is broad and varied, or may be a specialist meaning that their work is very focused and tailored to a particular area of law. Paralegal education is designed to train the student to succeed as either a generalist or a specialist.
We pride ourselves on having unique coursework relevant to the latest
issues in the legal profession.
 Some of our newer topics include patent law and prosecution, copyright and trademark law, energy
and natural resources, and environmental, health, labor and employment law.
Litigation
The most common
area of practice for paralegals is litigation, which includes drafting pleadings and other court related documents, drafting and reviewing discovery, conducting legal research, and conducting factual and legal investigation.
Transactional Practice
Another large and growing area for paralegals includes transactional practice, which most commonly entails corporate and real estate transactions. Paralegals employed in a transactional setting often perform due diligence searches, and file legal documents with the secretary of state or other appropriate governmental entity. Estate and probate paralegals often deal with client’s wills and trusts and make sure that various procedures are adhered to.
There are numerous other subsets within the broad realms of litigation and transactional practices.