Eastern Kentucky University
Become a legal professional
Paralegals work along side of with lawyers and other legal professionals. Under an attorney's supervision, paralegals draft documents, prepare them for filing, do research, assist the attorney with trial preparation, and deal with clients.
Paralegals are defined by the American Bar Association 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 carries out specifically designated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible" (Note: Paralegals are not allowed to provide legal services directly to the public, not including where it is permitted by law.)
The aims of the EKU Paralegal Programs are as follows
- To create, implement, and maintain a strong, flexible program focused on the quality education of occupationally competent paralegals
- To provide a paralegal education program that results in the employment of its graduates by a wide variety of employers
- To give paralegals a well-formed, balanced education established on a beneficial blend of general education, theory, and practical courses stressing facts
- To maintain the general principles of ethical legal practice, professional responsibility, and the prohibitions against the unauthorized practice of law by a lay person
- To provide an educational program tailored to the varied needs of the state of Kentucky and the region, and play a part to the overall advancement of the legal profession
- To offer a program which instills respect for the legal profession and its foundations, institutions, and pursuit of justice; and to uphold equality of opportunity in the educational program without discrimination or segregation on the grounds of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex.
