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Vision Statement
As the paralegal field continues to be listed as one of the fastest growing professions
into the 21st century and as the American Bar Association has recognized the
benefit of two-year paralegal programs, the Paralegal and Legal Assistant Program
at Clark College will offer men and women the comprehensive training needed to
become, or to advance, as a paralegal. We will provide you with the knowledge of
legal concepts and procedures and essential skills required to serve the many needs
of a complex legal and business community. Clark College’s Paralegal Program
highlights organizational, interpersonal, analytical and technological skills to
support you in your professional experiences. Our Program promotes ethical
awareness and professional responsibility, and encourages the development of the
paralegal occupation.
Program Outcomes
Program Outcome– Community
1. The Paralegal Program will provide Clark College students with necessary skills
for employment in the paralegal or other law-related professions.
2. The Paralegal Program will aid Clark College students to gain entry in a variety
of law-related employment areas, such as private law firms, government
agencies, court judicial assistants, corporations, insurance companies, banks, real
estate companies, community service agencies, financial institutions, health care
agencies, and other business concerns.
3. The Paralegal Program will promote opportunity for paralegals and legal
assistants to pursue continuing education opportunities, including seeking
baccalaureate degrees, and will contribute to the advancement of the Paralegal
profession.
4. The Paralegal Program will maintain and uphold the general principles of ethical
legal practice as promulgated by the State of Washington.
5. The Paralegal Program will appropriately and timely respond to the needs of
Clark College’s service community.
6. The Paralegal Program will support emerging concepts of the role of the
paralegal in the effective delivery of legal services in both the private and public
sectors.
7. Where possible, the Paralegal Program will make good faith efforts to enter into
articulation agreements with other institution to facilitate the transfer of students
from two-year to four-year colleges.
Paralegals operate under the supervision of a licensed attorney and are prohibited
from practicing law.
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8. The Paralegal Program will remain responsive to changing needs related to
paralegal education and use of paralegal services. The Program will engage in
continual review and evaluation, and will incorporate new ideas relating to both
curriculum and instructional method based upon researched and assessment
findings.
Program Outcomes – Individual
A graduate of this major should be able to:
Terminology
1. Understand and use terminology common to the legal industry
Legal System
2. Outline the basic principles of the American legal system,
including the sources of law, jurisdiction, civil case procedure
(including Local, State and Federal Rules), the structure of state
and federal court systems, and the lawyers’ role in the
American legal system.
Attorney
Employer
Model
3. Understand the business environment of a law firm and
distinguish the duties performed by the attorney, the paralegal,
and the legal management team.
Specialized
Areas
4. List the duties and define the skills of paralegals in various
specialized areas of law.
Critical
Reading
5. Possess the ability to read and comprehend legal documents,
court documents and client letters, and to assist the attorney
with the drafting of such documents through editing and
proofreading.
Communication
6. Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively with
attorneys, clients, court personnel, and co-workers, both orally
and in writing.
Ethics
7. Describe the ethical rules and standards of practice pertaining
to the paralegal
8. Identify and analyze legal ethical issues, including conflicts of
interest, client confidentiality, and unauthorized practice of law
and
9. Select an appropriate framework for resolving ethical dilemmas
around sound professionalism.
Research
10. Learn how to conduct effective factual and legal research, using
primary sources (such as Federal, State and Local Rules of
Paralegals operate under the supervision of a licensed attorney and are prohibited
from practicing law.
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Procedure) and secondary sources
11. Prepare legal correspondence, memoranda, documents, and
exhibits, and in that content properly interpret legal citation
Cognition
12.
Demonstrate analytical reasoning capability in making
decisions and solving legal problems.
Legal
Environment of
Business
13. Describe government regulation and the legal environment in
which businesses organizations operate.
Legal Writing
14. Demonstrate competent legal writing skills, including the
mechanics of grammar, punctuation, large-scale organization
and small-scale organization of content.
Organization
15. Demonstrate good quality organizational skills, time
management skills, and effective interpersonal skills, including
working calmly under pressure.
Technology
16. Demonstrate a working knowledge of microcomputers,
specialized legal office software, and other technological
applications.
Paralegals operate under the supervision of a licensed attorney and are prohibited
from practicing law.
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