Paralegal Studies
The jury is in: our Paralegal program is the perfect first step for your legal career. Approved by the American Bar Association (ABA), this program will provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to work directly with attorneys.
Program at a Glance
Paralegal Associations
- American Bar Association (ABA)
- American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE)
- State Bar of Texas, Paralegal Division (TXPD)
- Houston Metropolitan Paralegal Association (HMPA)
- Houston Paralegal Association (HPA)
Career Opportunities
With a paralegal degree, you can find a career in:
- Litigation
- Personal injury
- Corporate law
- Criminal law
- Immigration law
- And many other areas of law
Location
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Why Choose Paralegal Studies at San Jac?
american bar association standards
Due to the guidelines established by the American Bar Association, Paralegal students are required to complete a minimum of 9 semester credit hours of legal specialty courses through synchronous instruction which includes face-to-face, hands on hybrid, or online on a schedule course options.
Students seeking to transfer into the San Jacinto College Paralegal Program must engage in a transcript review meeting with the Paralegal Program Director to review the transferability of credits from other paralegal programs in order to ensure that the credit can be classified as legal specialty, meets the course objectives and practical skills to be developed for the course for which credit is being awarded, meets the needs of the legal community the program serves, and is comparable to course work offered within the program.
Become a Paralegal and Unlock Opportunity
What You’ll Learn in the Paralegal Program
The goal of the paralegal studies program is to teach you to:
- Deploy legal terminology in the creation of documents and presentations
- Analyze sources of law including both primary and secondary sources
- Research sources of law
- Use and apply the rules of civil and criminal procedure
- Distinguish the roles and ethical obligations of paralegals and attorneys
- Compose correspondence and legal documents
- Conduct client and witness interviews and factual investigations in a professional manner
- Use common law office technology, including ProDoc, West Law, and efiling
- Demonstrate oral and written communication skills
Where You’ll Work
As a qualified paralegal, you’ll have access to a wide range of opportunities. While nearly 70% of paralegals work in private law firms, other places of employment include:
- Corporate legal departments
- Insurance companies
- Real estate agencies
- Title companies
- The court system
- Trust and mortgage departments
- Government agencies
Your Duties as Paralegal
Paralegals must work under the direct supervision of an attorney and don't contract directly with the public. Some of the duties delegated by a lawyer to a paralegal may include:
- Performing legal research
- Interviewing clients/witnesses
- Conducting investigations
- Drafting legal documents,
- Tracking deadlines
- Providing litigation support,
- Assisting at hearings and trials
- Using technology to perform tasks.
Join the Paralegal National Honor Society
