Paralegal Program Goals and Objectives

1. Provide competency-based instruction that is responsive to the needs of the legal community, thus providing meaningful career opportunities for legal assistant/paralegal students in both the private and public sector; (embrace the core competencies established by AAFPE)

2. Provide quality student services that include (1) academic counseling, (2) career information and placement assistance, and a (3) information and/or opportunities for participation and such activities as honor societies, pro bono activities, professional and paralegal associations, and continuing legal education. (NALA)

3. Provide training and education in the following: (1) critical thinking skills (analysis, judgment, research and problem-solving); (2) communication skills (oral, written, non-verbal, and interpersonal); (3) computer skills; (4) computational skills; (5) ethical understandings; and (6) organizational skills., also a basic understanding of American history, business, and political systems.(NALA)

4. Provide a Legal Assistant/Paralegal Program that incorporates the latest technology utilized in the law office and prepares students with the computer skills, to include data and word processing and computer assisted legal research skills necessary for successful employment as a legal assistant/paralegal;

5. Provide a Legal Assistant/Paralegal Program that supports and encourages students interested in continuing their education and maintaining their skills;

6. Provide a Legal Assistant/Paralegal Program that offers equality of opportunity for all students regardless of race, sex, age, national origin, religion, or disability.

7. Prepare the student to assist the attorney in both private and public sectors in all phases of legal work and to equip the student with the knowledge necessary to enter the legal service fields as an entry-level paralegal.

8. Evaulate the needs of employers for properly trained paralegals by maintaining contact with the legal community and determining their training needs.

9. To insure quality paralegal education at the community college level.

10. To train students to be prepared to use and apply the most current paralegal skills.

11. To educate students to intelligently and ethically serve the legal community.

12. To train students in critical paralegal skills such as investigation, legal research, interviewing, written and oral communications.

13. To educate, train and provide students with the theoretical background to perform the paralegal's tasks in substantive areas of law and legal specialties.

14. To educate and train students in areas of procedural law emphasizing the paralegals role in litigation, mediation and arbitration.

15. To educate students about the general principles of ethical legal practice as defined by the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility, and California's Business & Professions Code §6450.

16. To encourage students to contribute to the advancement of the legal profession.

17. To provide counseling during the program and to assist students in preparing for and obtaining meaningful careers in the paralegal field.

Credit is given to the following websites and sources for the above goals and objectives, #1,#2, core competencies, #8, #9-17 NALA, AAFPE