The Associate of Applied Science in Paralegal provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to enter the paralegal profession, to work in a variety of law-related professions, and to prepare for further studies in law. A paralegal is a legal assistant who is qualified by education, training, or work experience and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for a law office, corporation, government agency, or other entity under the supervision of a responsible lawyer. The degree includes studies in a variety of areas: ethical rules for members of the legal community; strategies for conducting legal research; basic legal writing skills; skills in interpreting legal documents; strategies for understanding and interpreting case law; investigating the facts of a case; preparing a case for trial; analyzing and handling procedural problems; and an overview of law. Students who earn the Paralegal, AAS, will have the necessary skills to gain employment in such careers as paralegals, title examiners, trust officers, contract clerks, legal investigators, and law firm administrators. Students wishing to transfer to four-year institutions will have the academic foundation applicable to various career fields in law including later enrollment in law school. Successful completion of this program will also qualify students to sit for the Arizona Legal Document Preparer Examination. Note that except as specifically authorized by the Supreme Court of Arizona, persons not admitted to the State Bar of Arizona are prohibited from practicing law. For more information regarding the Paralegal, AAS, see the Paralegal webpage.
Note: For a course to be eligible for transfer, the student must receive a “C” or better. Acceptance of a transfer course is determined by the receiving institution.
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