Paralegal Certificate of Achievement

Related Degrees & Certificates

Program	Units
AS Associate in Science Degree Program
Paralegal	60 units
CA Certificate of Achievement
Litigation	18 units

Career Opportunities

Students who complete this Paralegal Certificate are entitled to be called paralegals under California law. This Certificate prepares students to be paralegals, as well as students who are applying for law school or foreign attorneys preparing for a Master of Laws (LLM) degree program. This Certificate prepares students for the legal and business fields, including law firms, corporate legal departments, corporations, federal and state courts, and research firms. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 2016 and 2026, there is an 18% projected increase in paralegal and legal assistant jobs in the Bay Area. Certificate holders are prepared for positions including but not limited to paralegals, legal assistants, legal secretaries, legal clerks, title officers, and notaries.

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 at Cañada College was developed in cooperation with the San Mateo County Bar Association and the San Mateo County Legal Secretaries Association to train personnel to assist attorneys in both civil and criminal matters. Instruction centers on assisting the attorneys in interviewing clients and preparing legal documents. Courses must be evaluated by a letter grade, not by the Pass grade.

Requirements

Major: Core and Selective Requirements

Complete Core Courses, 18 units		Units
CBOT 435	Spreadsheets	3 units
LEGL 241	Law Office Management	3 units
LEGL 249	Introduction to the Legal System	3 units
LEGL 250	Legal Research and Writing	3 units
LEGL 252	Civil Litigation and Trial Preparation	3 units
LEGL 261	Legal Ethics	3 units

Selective courses, choose a minimum of 9 units from the following:		Units
BUS. 201	Business Law	3 units
LEGL 251	Torts	3 units
LEGL 254	Family Law	3 units
LEGL 260	Advanced Legal Research and Writing	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
LEGL 272	Immigration Law	3 units
LEGL 276	Electronic Litigation and Investigation	3 units
LEGL 672	Work Experience Education: Internship	1 - 3 units

Total Required Units: 27