Legal Assistant

Program Description:

Students admitted to the Legal Assistant program are encouraged to attend a scheduled orientation session within their first year. Students do not need to complete the orientation prior to registering for classes. Please call 586.445.7167 to make arrangements.

Legal Assistant courses are geared to prepare a student to relieve an attorney from those portions of the legal practice that require routine legal processes. At the completion of this program, the student will be able to assist and work under the control and supervision of an attorney but must not practice law or give legal advice.

The goals of the Legal Assistant program are that students will:

► Know their ethical and professional responsibilities as professional members of the legal services delivery team.
► Be able to conduct legal research, accurately prepare legal forms and documents.
► Know the purpose and function of legal pleadings, and conduct and summarize factual investigations.
► Know the purpose and function of discovery and use electronic evidence.
► Know substantive law in family law, wills and estates, real estate, administrative law, bankruptcy, court procedure, corporations and other business organizations.
► Demonstrate competence in related courses in general education, business law, accounting, communications, mathematics, office management, keyboarding, and computer information systems.

Program Outcomes:

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

1. Explain ethical and professional responsibilities.

2. Conduct legal or factual research, including summarizing factual investigations and legal research.

3. Prepare legal pleadings, forms, and documents.

4. Explain the different levels of the court systems in a federal or state setting, the different levels of the state and federal administrative agencies, and the different types of alternative dispute resolutions.

5. Create legal documents that include federal and state court rules of criminal, civil, and evidentiary procedure.

6. Use appropriate legal specific software applications to prepare legal documents and conduct e-discovery.

7. Distinguish substantive law similarities and differences in legal areas such as family law, wills and estates, real estate, administrative law, bankruptcy, court procedure, corporations, and other business organizations.

Requirements & Specific Information:

In order to receive a Macomb Community College Associate of Applied Science degree in Legal Assistant, a minimum of 15 credit hours must be taken at Macomb. At least 10 of those 15 credit hours must be taken in traditional classroom instruction in Legal Assistant specialty courses. No more than 6 credit hours of legal specialty courses may be obtained through Credit for Prior Learning.

Accreditation:

The Associate of Applied Science degree in Legal Assistant program is approved by the American Bar Association, 321 North Clark Street, Chicago Illinois 60610.

Career Opportunities:

Legal Assistant-Associate of Applied Science-Career Opportunities: Job titles such as Paralegal/Legal Assistants and Legal Secretary are attainable upon completion of this course of study. To learn more from a career specialist, visit the Office of Career Services at either campus or explore online at www.onetonline.org.

Transfer Pathways:

Students intending to transfer and complete a bachelor’s degree need to make early decisions concerning an academic major and a transfer destination. Statistics show that students who make these decisions early are more likely to persist to graduation than their undecided counterparts. Students planning to transfer credits earned at Macomb are strongly urged to see a counselor or academic advisor as early as possible in their college careers.

• Transfer Resource Guide
• Transfer Plan Database

Programs

• Legal Assistant, AAS (full-time)
• Legal Assistant, AAS (part-time)