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BURLINGTON COUNTY COLLEGE |
Approved by the
American Bar Association
Our Associate of Applied Science degree program, now in its thirtieth year, is intended to prepare individuals for employment as a Paralegal, also referred to as a Legal Assistant. The American Bar Association defines a Paralegal as a person, qualified by education, training or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible. Paralegals may not engage in the practice of law.
The duties of a paralegal typically include communicating with clients, drafting legal documents, performing research, and case management. This program prepares students to perform these functions. The graduate is expected to:
· know legal terminology;
· be able to conduct client interviews and collect pertinent information;
· understand the judicial system;
· be able to locate, research and cite sources of law;
· be able to draft legal documents, and
· develop high standards of legal ethics and professional conduct.
The degree program requires completion of twelve legal, two business and seven general education courses. Please visit the Paralegal Program requirements page for details. The legal specialty courses are scheduled with the working person in mind. They are offered during the evening hours and are taught by practicing attorneys and paralegals. The other courses are available during the day, evening, weekend, via distance and in accelerated formats.
The orientation of this program is to prepare
individuals for employment as a paralegal. Therefore, we have included those
legal specialty courses that support program goals and employer expectations.
Many students choose to begin working in the career before degree
completion. The College’s Placement Office is available to assist
students seeking employment. For
students interested in completing a baccalaureate program, the transfer of all
of the legal specialty courses could be an issue for the receiving
institution. If you know you will be transferring, please consult with
the Program Director early in the
enrollment process regarding transfer opportunities or with the receiving
institution regarding the transfer of credits. Additional
assistance is available from the Career Planning Center.
Visit these sites for additional information
about the Paralegal career field.
American Association for Paralegal Education
(AAfPE)
National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA)
South Jersey Paralegal
Association (SJPA)
National Federation of Paralegal
Associations (NFPA)
NFPA's
handbook Paralegal Responsibilities (60 pages)
Employment Links at http://profj.info/jobs/jobs40803.htm
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