The American Bar Association defines a paralegal as a person “who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible.” The Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Paralegal Studies is designed for students who have completed a baccalaureate degree and wish to continue their education. It provides students with the technical skills and specialized knowledge to work under the supervision of lawyers in federal and state agencies or court systems, in a variety of legal service settings, in private law offices or corporate legal departments, and in a multitude of other public and private organizations where familiarity with government regulation and legal processes is required. The program is approved by the American Bar Association.
Please note that students obtaining a post-baccalaureate certificate are not authorized to provide direct legal services to the public. The program offers training for paraprofessionals who are authorized to perform substantive legal work under the supervision of a licensed attorney. The program does not train lawyers.
Admission Requirements
- Students must meet the Admission Requirements for Post-Baccalaureate Certificates.
- Students must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00 in their baccalaureate program.
Graduation Requirements
- All paralegal studies students must take the Legal Studies Exit Examination. There is no minimum score required for graduation.
- Complete the following major requirements with a minimum grade of C:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| LEGL A101 | Introduction to Law | 3 |
| LEGL A215 | Legal Ethics and the Role of the Legal Professional | 3 |
| LEGL A356 | Legal Research, Analysis, and Writing | 3 |
| LEGL A367 | Civil Procedure and Pretrial Practice | 3 |
| LEGL A377 | Evidence, Investigation, and Discovery | 3 |
| LEGL A487 | Trial and Advanced Litigation Processes | 3 |
| LEGL A495 | Legal Studies Internship | 3-6 |
| Complete one of the following electives: | 3 | |
| Family Law | ||
| Criminal Law: Murder, Robbery, and Other Crimes | ||
| Contracts, Property, and Debt | ||
| Torts: Law of Injury, Death, and Consumer Protection | ||
| Health Care Law | ||
| Legal Studies Senior Seminar | ||
Other upper division Legal Studies (LEGL) or Justice (JUST) course with legal studies coordinator approval | ||
| Total | 24-27 | |
A minimum of 24 credits is required for the certificate.
Pro Bono Service Honors
The Justice Center awards pro bono service honors to those legal studies students who work toward improving access to justice by contributing volunteer service to Alaska legal aid agencies. Students majoring in any of the legal studies programs, as well as legal studies minors, are eligible to graduate with pro bono service honors upon satisfactory completion of the following requirements:
- Meet the catalog requirements for the minor, degree or certificate sought;
- Complete the following number of volunteer hours with a legal services agency approved by the department's program coordinator:
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate, Paralegal Studies: 50 hours
- Obtain written verification of their hours of service from the legal service agency or agencies assisted;
- In the semester they intend to graduate, students must submit their verification of service hours and written notice of their intent to graduate with pro bono service honors to the department's program coordinator. The verification and notice must be received by the coordinator on or before the date established by the Office of the Registrar as the deadline to apply for graduation.
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Students graduating with a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Paralegal Studies will be able to:
- Produce superior quality university-level written documents and oral reports.
- Identify and accurately apply the rules of professional ethics governing lawyers and nonlawyer staff, and the rules governing the unauthorized practice of law in Alaska.
- Interpret and accurately apply legal terminology and foundational principles of substantive and procedural law in the analysis of legal issues.
- Develop and execute legal research plans using law library resources and commonly used legal research databases.
- Synthesize primary and secondary legal authorities and draft memoranda of legal analysis.
- Prepare legal investigation and discovery plans and draft legal pleadings that conform to the rules of civil procedure and incorporate standard techniques and resources for managing a case in litigation.
- Relate legal rules and doctrines to client problems in the performance of entry-level paralegal duties in a private law firm, public legal service agency or law department.