Some of the duties assigned to paralegals include the preparatory work for lawyers involved in closings, hearings, trials and corporate meetings. Paralegals also investigate the facts of cases, conduct legal research, and prepare written reports that attorneys use in determining how cases should be handled. Paralegals may work in all areas of the law, including litigation, bankruptcy, corporate law, criminal law, employee benefits, patient and copyright law, and real estate. In this program, the focus is on business law. Your course work will prepare you for work in law firms which deal with business clients or in corporate settings such as law departments, employee benefits departments or contract admissions.
Students also gain experience by completing a required internship that focuses on business law.
With your AS degree in this program, you'll have the option of transferring your credits and applying them toward a bachelor's degree in a related area of study, or you can enter the work force immediately upon graduation from Iowa Western and begin earning a good salary. The paralegal field is expected to rank among the 20 fastest growing occupations in the economy. Job opportunities include work in private law firms, corporate legal departments, insurance companies, real estate, title insurance firms and banks. Salaries vary greatly depending on education, training, experience, the type and size of employer, and the geographic location of the job.