Alexandria Technical College
The 72 credit Paralegal AAS program trains students to carry out legal work under the direct supervision of an attorney. They may work in many areas of law. Classes emphasize substantive law, legal procedures, and government. Courses students will study are: civil litigation, criminal procedures, family law, business organizations, real estate, estates and probate, bankruptcy, and intellectual property. Well rounded training is received for the preparation and handling of legal documents, legal research, legal writing, legal ethics, trial preparation, investigation, and the interpersonal skills vital to success in the business world.
Advanced knowledge of computer applications is required in the legal world. In this program, students learn word processing as well as how to work with spreadsheets, databases, and presentation software. You must have a laptop computer; you may lease one from the college if necessary.
Qualifications
To qualify for the paralegal program one needs to be very interested in completing substantive legal work and working in a professional legal environment under an attorney's direct supervision. A successful student will have a positive attitude, maturity, self-initiative, and the ability to efficiently manage time. Previously taken classes that would be useful include: English, writing, public speaking, computer applications, American government and basic business classes. A 2.5 overall GPA is required to be admitted into advanced paralegal classes. If a student finds that they are not able to fulfill this requirement, they may instead pursue the Legal Administrative Assistant track.
