Litigation Certificate of Achievement

Related Degrees & Certificates

Program	Units
AS Associate in Science Degree Program
Paralegal	60 units
CA Certificate of Achievement
Paralegal	27 units

Career Opportunities

Students who complete the Paralegal Certificate are entitled to be called paralegals under California law. The Litigation Certificate prepares students to be paralegals who focus their skills on litigation, prepares students for law school, and prepares foreign attorneys for a Master of Laws (LLM) program, which must be completed in order to take the California Bar Exam. The demand for skilled litigation paralegals is high, and employment opportunities exist in litigation law firms, trial technology companies, technology companies, biotech companies, consulting firms, insurance companies, or in state or federal courts. Graduates are prepared for positions including but not limited to paralegals, law clerks, trial clerks, legal assistants, legal secretaries, or trial technology paralegals.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students completing this program will be able to:

Use effectively both book and electronic legal research tools, and to identify and use primary and secondary law sources.
Use California superior court judicial council forms, and at least one software program containing such forms.
Understand, follow and apply ethical rules for attorneys and paralegals and to identify potential ethical issues in the legal environment.

Program Overview

The Paralegal Program was developed in cooperation with the San Mateo County Bar Association and the San Mateo County Legal Secretaries Association (now the San Mateo County Legal Professionals Association) to train personnel to assist attorneys in both civil and criminal matters. The Litigation Certificate is designed for students who want to specialize in litigation, pursue a higher education degree related to law and the legal system, prepare for law school, or prepare foreign attorneys for a Masters in Law (LLM) program, which must be completed in order to take the California Bar Exam. The Litigation Certificate is a unique offering that enables our students to be more competitive and be better prepared for current industry needs.

Requirements

Major: Core and Selective Requirements

Complete Core Courses, 15 units		Units
LEGL 250	Legal Research and Writing	3 units
LEGL 251	Torts	3 units
LEGL 252	Civil Litigation and Trial Preparation	3 units
LEGL 260	Advanced Legal Research and Writing	3 units
LEGL 276	Electronic Litigation and Investigation	3 units

Selective courses, choose a minimum of 3 units from the following:		Units
LEGL 254	Family Law	3 units
LEGL 263	Intellectual Property Law	3 units
LEGL 264	Contracts	3 units
LEGL 267	Animal Law	3 units
LEGL 269	Elder Law	3 units

Total Required Units: 18