2010-2011 Catalog
Paralegal, A.A.S.

Paralegals (Legal Assistants) play an important role in assisting attorneys to provide affordable legal services. ACC’s American Bar Association – approved Paralegal Program provides a solid foundation of knowledge and practical experience to prepare students for this profession. While paralegals may not practice law, they work under the supervision of attorneys in private law firms or businesses, as well as in many government agencies. Tasks performed by paralegals include interviewing, investigation, research, preparing legal forms, assisting attorneys in court and other activities.

ABA Approval
The Paralegal Program has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1977. The approval process ensures that the program complies with the high academic standards of the American Bar Association. For questions about the approval process, the American Bar Association may be reached at 321 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60610, 312.988.5000.

Admission Requirements
Students in the A.A.S. degree program should have an ACCUPLACER sentence skills score of 95+ and an ACCUPLACER reading score of 80+ to successfully complete PAR courses. Department approval is required in order to transfer in paralegal class credit from other institutions; courses may be transferred to the program ONLY if they were taken from an ABA-approved program at an accredited Institution, and outof- state courses may only be transferred in if the law content is not state-specific. At least 27 (twenty-seven) hours of paralegal (PAR) courses must be taken at Arapahoe Community College.

Course Requirements
All major, general education and other courses required for the degree must be completed with a grade of “C” or better. The paralegal department expects all students in the paralegal program to abide by the code of ethics promulgated by the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA). The code of ethics may be viewed at www.nala.org.

It is recommended that students take PAR 110 and PAR 115 in their first semester of study, and that fundamental classes (PAR 110, 115, 116, 118 and 125) be taken prior to taking the advanced required classes (PAR 201, 206, 211 and 289).

Graduation Requirements
To graduate, students must complete an exit interview and apply for graduation. Paralegal (PAR) courses must be taken within six years of a student’s graduation. General education courses are not subject to this six year requirement. Please contact the Paralegal Department Chair or Coordinator if you have questions about these academic requirements.