Legal Assistant (Paralegal)
Program Description: Legal Assistants (Paralegals) are the top aides to lawyers and key members of the legal team. Some responsibilities could include communication with clients and courts, gathering facts to prepare for trial, performing legal research, preparing documents, implementing the legal strategies of their lawyer, and performing administrative work at the direction of and under the supervision of a lawyer. The skills of the Legal Assistant are such that the work performed would otherwise have to be accomplished by a licensed attorney. Graduates of this Program are prepared to assist attorneys in serving the legal needs of their clients, and employment positions may be found in private law firms, courts, businesses, insurance companies, government offices, administrative offices, and banks-trust departments. Graduates of this program also receive a comprehensive legal education to help them in many areas of work and life.
Use this Program Map as an advising guide to choose courses with your advisor and track progress toward milestones and completion of the degree program. The map provides students a suggested course sequence to timely program completion.
SEMESTER-BY-SEMESTER PROGRAM PLAN FOR FULL-TIME STUDENTS
MOST LEGAL ASSISTANT DEGREE CLASSES DO NOT HAVE A PREREQUISITE CLASS. THUS, THE STUDENT CAN TAKE MOST DEGREE CLASSES IN ANY SEMESTER ORDER THAT FITS THEIR SCHEDULE. THE STUDENT’S SCHEDULE CAN VARY, DEPENDING ON WHETHER THEY ARE FULL-TIME OR PART-TIME, WHETHER THEY HAVE TRANSFERRED CREDIT FROM PRIOR COLLEGE, OR WHETHER THE STUDENT PLANS TO ATTEND CLASSES DURING THE DAY, IN THE EVENING, ONLINE OR A COMBINATION.
| Semester 1 | Credit Hours | Contact Hours | Advising Notes | Weekly Lecture Hours | Weekly Lab Hours | Weekly Other Hours | Core/FS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LGLA 1307 - Introduction to Law | 3 | 48 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| ENGL 1301 - English Composition I | 3 | 48 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Core | |
| Restricted Elective | 3 | 48 | LGLA 1351 (Contracts) or LGLA 1353 (Wills, Trusts, Probate) or LGLA 2303 (Torts and Personal Injury) or LGLA 2307 (Law Office Management) or LGLA 2337 (Mediation) or CRIJ 1306 (Court Systems) or CRIJ 1310 (Fundamentals of Criminal Law) | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| GOVT 2305 (American Government) or GOVT 2306 (Texas Government) | 3 | 48 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Core | |
| LGLA 1303 - Legal Research | 3 | 48 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Program Semester Totals | 15 | 240 | Meet with your advisor | 15 | 0 | 0 | |
| Semester 2 | Credit Hours | Contact Hours | Advising Notes | Weekly Lecture Hours | Weekly Lab Hours | Weekly Other Hours | Core/FS |
| LGLA 1305 - Legal Writing | 3 | 48 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Social & Behavioral Science Core Course | 3 | 48 | Select a course from the Social & Behavioral Science core area. | 3 | 0 | 0 | Core |
| LGLA 2313 - Criminal Law and Procedure | 3 | 48 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| LGLA 1355 - Family Law | 3 | 48 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Restricted Elective | 3 | 48 | LGLA 1351 (Contracts) or LGLA 1353 (Wills, Trusts, Probate) or LGLA 2303 (Torts and Personal Injury) or LGLA 2307 (Law Office Management) or LGLA 2337 (Mediation) or CRIJ 1306 (Court Systems) or CRIJ 1310 (Fundamentals of Criminal Law) | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| Program Semester Totals | 15 | 240 | 15 | 0 | 15 | ||
| Semester 3 | Credit Hours | Contact Hours | Advising Notes | Weekly Lecture Hours | Weekly Lab Hours | Weekly Other Hours | Core/FS |
| Life and Physical Science or Math Core Course | 3 | 48 | Select a course from the Life and Physical Sciences or Math core area. | 3 | 0 | 0 | Core |
| LGLA 1345 - Civil Litigation | 3 | 48 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Restricted Elective | 3 | 48 | LGLA 1351 (Contracts) or LGLA 1353 (Wills, Trusts, Probate) or LGLA 2303 (Torts and Personal Injury) or LGLA 2307 (Law Office Management) or LGLA 2337 (Mediation) or CRIJ 1306 (Court Systems) or CRIJ 1310 (Fundamentals of Criminal Law) | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| BMGT 2305 - Business Communications | 3 | 48 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| ACNT 1303 or ACCT 2301 (Accounting) | 3 | 48 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Program Semester Totals | 15 | 240 | Meet with your advisor | 15 | 0 | 0 | |
| Semester 4 | Credit Hours | Contact Hours | Advising Notes | Weekly Lecture Hours | Weekly Lab Hours | Weekly Other Hours | Core/FS |
| BCIS 1305 - Business Computer Applications | 3 | 48 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Restricted Elective | 3 | 48 | LGLA 1351 (Contracts) or LGLA 1353 (Wills, Trusts, Probate) or LGLA 2303 (Torts and Personal Injury) or LGLA 2307 (Law Office Management) or LGLA 2337 (Mediation) or CRIJ 1306 (Court Systems) or CRIJ 1310 (Fundamentals of Criminal Law) | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| BUSI 2301 | 3 | 48 | Or BUSI 2371 or ACNT 1303 | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| Language, Philosophy and Culture or Creative Arts Core Course | 3 | 48 | Select a course from the Language, Philosophy and Culture or Creative Arts core. | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| LGLA 2388 - Internship/Legal Assistant | 3 | 240 | ACHIEVEMENT: Completion of Associate of Applied Science Degree | 0 | 0 | 15 | |
| Program Semester Totals | 15 | 432 | 12 | 0 | 15 | ||
| Program Completion Totals | 60 | 1152 | 57 | 0 | 15 |
Attention: Students must visit with an advisor when they have completed 30 hours toward the degree plan (typically the end of the second semester).
Marketable Skills
- Trial Preparation Procedures
- Legal Research
- Client interview and investigating techniques
- Analytical skills relating to case facts
- Legal document drafting and filing procedures
- Conflict Resolution Techniques
- Law Office Software Proficiency
Transfer Information
The Legal Assistant AAS Degree provides curriculum to prepare students, whose interests lie in that area, for immediate entry into the workforce. For students seeking a 4-year degree, graduates have the option to transfer their coursework to a 4-year university that has a complementary Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS or BAAS) degree. Please check with your advisor for more information.
For more information on program transfer information to four-year institutions visit Blinn’s transfer information site.
Blinn College Transfer Resources: