Paralegal Studies, A.A.S.

ABA Approved

Casper College offers two degrees in the paralegal department and prepares its students for transfer to bachelor programs. We also offer a post-bachelor’s certificate. Our research courses provide our students with legal research skills, fact investigation skills, and computer assisted legal research skills with Westlaw and the Internet. Other courses provide students with skills in digesting depositions, organizing case files, drafting discovery documents, wills, contracts, corporation forms, and family law documents. Students also organize a trial notebook, interview expert witnesses, fact witnesses and clients, research evidentiary issues, draft a demand letter, prepare a medical chronology, and draft jury instructions. Our students are assisted in job placement through a job search seminar and internships.

Students are encouraged to take the C.L.A. Exam (Certified Legal Assistant Exam), which is offered three times a year at Casper College. A review course is offered each fall to prepare for this exam. The C.L.A. credential is a requirement for many jobs and is a nationally recognized credential.

The American Bar Association defines a paralegal as “a person, qualified by education, training, or work experience, who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, government agency or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal for which a lawyer is responsible.”

Objectives of the paralegal program

1. Train students for employment as a paralegal in law offices, under the supervision of a licensed lawyer, where the paralegal can assist in the economical and efficient delivery of legal services in both the local job market and throughout the United States.
2. Train students with skills that are transferable to other jobs such as social work, police work, government administrative positions, insurance, business and banking positions.
3. Prepare students with the academic skills and courses necessary to transfer to bachelor programs.
4. Assist students in studying for the Certified Legal Assistant (C.L.A.) exam.
5. Provide opportunities for continuing education and upgrading of existing skills for paralegals already gainfully employed in the local job market.

NOTE: Graduates are not authorized to provide direct legal services to the public. The paralegal program provides training for paralegals who are authorized to perform substantive legal work under the supervision of a lawyer. A paralegal cannot establish the relationship with a client, set fees, represent a client in court or give legal advice. Students with felony convictions may not be able to obtain traditional paralegal positions. Transfer students may only transfer nine (9) hours of legal specialty courses.