This program is approved by the American Bar Association and is designed to prepare students for entry-level paraprofessional positions in the legal field. The American Bar Association states that the terms legal assistant and paralegal are used interchangeably. A legal assistant is a person who works directly under the supervision of a lawyer.
Legal assistants are qualified through education, training or work experience.
They perform specifically delegated substantive legal work which requires a knowledge of legal concepts and procedures. Legal assistants may be employed by law firms, businesses, financial institutions, title and escrow companies, or government agencies. Additional positions for which they may qualify include title examiner, trust officer, contract clerk, legal investigator, and law firm administrator. An internship at an approved work site is available during the last semester of course work for students who have not had previous work experience in the legal field. Students should also have a minimum reading capability at the twelfth-grade level in order to ensure success in the program.