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Specific pre- and co-requisites for each course are listed in the course descriptions. Students must also complete the requirements for the Stevenson Educational Experience (SEE). The courses listed below are required for completion of the bachelor's degree in legal studies. Perform substantive legal work under the direction of an attorney, as permitted by law.
#Legal studies professional#
Operate as productive and professional members of a legal services delivery team using appropriate communication, technology, and time-management skills.Apply legal terminology, principles of law, and rules of ethical legal practice to the performance of legal services.Compose documents based on factual investigation, legal research, and analysis to inform and/or persuade.Conduct research using all appropriate resources to identify and obtain relevant legal authority.Graduates of the Legal Studies program will: Students must take at least nine semester credits or the equivalent of legal specialty courses through synchronous instruction. Paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law. Ours is the only ABA-approved bachelor's degree paralegal education program in Maryland.
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Stevenson's Legal Studies program was the first in the state and one of the first in the nation to be approved as a paralegal education program by the American Bar Association (ABA). By your second year, you will be working as a legal assistant or a paralegal, gaining valuable experience well before graduation. Our practitioner-based program teaches you not only the theory of law but also its practice from our faculty, 100 percent of whom have practiced law or served as judges. Pursuant with the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 and other related regulations, we are providing the University of La Verne Gainful Employment Disclosure information.Accelerate your Path to Law School and Beyond BACHELOR OF SCIENCE It is the goal of the Legal Studies Program to prepare our graduates to work successfully as Paralegals as soon as they graduate.
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They learn substantive law and practical skills, develop analytic ability, and build a framework for life that is ethical, service-oriented, appreciative of diversity and committed to continuing education. La Verne-trained paralegals use what they learn every day. Those looking for a career change will find their skillset valuable in the business or legal world. Additionally, all graduates earn a Paralegal Certificate compliant with California law. It’s excellent preparatory work for those considering law school, and mandatory internships give competitive real-life experience. Career OptionsĪ Legal Studies degree offers a wide breadth of career opportunities for students. Some students who decide to go to law school have also found their paralegal education and experience helpful in their studies. Studying to become a paralegal, or legal assistant, is ideal for someone interested in learning about the law or for someone looking for a second career. Paralegals work alongside attorneys and are responsible for much of the work performed in law offices, legal departments of businesses, and governmental agencies.Ī sampling of the many tasks paralegals perform include: planning, developing, and managing cases researching the law interviewing clients gathering facts drafting and analyzing legal documents collecting, compiling, and using technical information to make independent decisions and recommendations to the supervising attorneys and representing clients before state or federal administrative agencies if that representation is permitted by law. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that from 2008 to 2018, paralegal jobs will grow about 28 per cent. The paralegal profession is one of the fastest growing fields in America and provides an exciting environment for people interested in a challenging, progressive career. This program does not prepare students to practice law or work directly for the public except as permitted by statute. Paralegals, or legal assistants, work under the supervision of an attorney or perform work for which an attorney is responsible. The University of La Verne’s Legal Studies program, approved by the American Bar Association, prepares individuals for careers as paralegals or for positions where organizational and analytical skills as well as knowledge of the law and legal procedures are necessary.
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