Coastline Community College

Coastline's Paralegal Studies Program is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA). A paralegal is an intermediary position between the legal secretary and the attorney in which the Paralegal Program prepares students for. Paralegals can be employed in legal firms or a host of other legal settings, and many have client contact. This program is not a pre-law course of study. It is will not aid the student in becoming an attorney.

Students must complete an A.A. degree (60 units) if they have not already earned an associate or bachelor degree from a regionally accredited college or university. All requirements comply with the paralegal programs guidelines set out by the ABA. If approved by the paralegal studies department, coursework for paralegal studies completed at other institutions may be applied in partial fulfillment of these requirements. Paralegal studies courses taken for anything other than a letter grade are limited to 9 units within the 27 unit total. At Coastline you will need to complete 14 units of paralegal course work. (Approval by the paralegal department and faculty is required for credit by examination. Courses approved for challenge require practice-oriented assignments and/or projects in addition to regular course exams.) Students who successfully complete this program will receive an associate degree in arts, as well as a certificate of achievement in paralegal studies approved by the American Bar Association.

Before starting LAW 105, 118, 120, 390AB and/or any major "LAW" designation electives, students must attend either a counseling session or a paralegal orientation session, and they are required to complete both the English and Math placement testing and Group A General Education requisites. The remaining education units must be completed in conjunction with the paralegal courses. All paralegal courses require a 2.0 or higher grade average for students. A certificate recognizing achievement, approved by the American Bar Association, will be awarded to students who have a transferable associate in arts or bachelor degree obtained from a regionally accredited college or university, along with official transcripts filed at Coastline, after they complete at least 27 units of required paralegal courses.