Central New Mexico Community College

Central New Mexico Community College

Become a paralegal specialist at Central New Mexico Community College

The Paralegal Studies program has been designed to enable graduates to enter the legal profession as a legal assistant, otherwise known as a paralegal. These are professionals skilled in many of the tasks carried out in a legal office, normally by an attorney, that do not required the strict professional qualifications of a licensed attorney. Such tasks include drafting legal documents, interviewing clients and witnesses, analyzing data, investigating cases and researching past cases, case management and litigation support. Paralegals may not practice law, and cannot represent clients or charge fees for legal services. The ABA (American Bar Association) has approved this paralegal program of study.

Goals and Objectives of the Program

The goal of the program is to ensure the provision of high quality paralegal education, and to train men and women so that they are fully qualified to assist qualified lawyers, enabling them to provide increased high quality economical legal services to a greater number of people. This goal is supported by the following objectives:

• To understand the roles and various functions carried out by a legal assistant in various specialty areas of law
• Understanding of the legal system, including procedural and substantive law
• Understanding where paralegals and the attorneys supervising them stand with respect to the ethics of non-lawyers practicing law, and understand the prohibitions relating to paralegals and the limitations of their employment
• Attain a mastery of effective interpersonal, oral and written communication techniques
• Attain a proficiency in the use of technology, including computerized legal research