Legal Assistancy

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Knowledge of the law is a powerful marketing asset.

Traditionally, legal assistants (paralegals) serve judges, lawyers, and government agencies. In today's fast-changing world, however, legal assistants increasingly work for private business and industry. Why? Because legal assistants can research law, analyze facts, draft reports, articulate policy, manage risk, and mediate disputes. Moreover, admission to and success in law school (those requiring an undergraduate degree and those requiring a two-year degree) are enhanced by completing the Legal-Assistancy program.

The Legal-Assistancy degree increases opportunities for promotion within existing employment, provides entry-level skills for conducting non-lawyer mediation services, and legal document preparation assistance.

To validate degree currency, the CR Legal-Assistancy program exceeds American Bar Association curriculum requirements and the computer-assisted legal research capability meets ABA law-library recommendations.

"For better or for worse - no matter the profession or business - a legal background is necessary to deal effectively at ground level with regulatory agencies, and thereby reduce the extent to which formal legal representation is required."

Michael Eisner, CEO, Disney
"'Fortune", January 1996

Law firms that specialize in areas such as real estate, securities, and intellectual property offer growing opportunities, and in-house legal departments offer such amenities as stable hours and attractive perks common to corporate employment.

The growth rate within the legal services industry for paralegals and legal assistants between 1998 and 2008 is projected to be 68.5% according to the US Bureau of Labor statistics, especially within corporate legal departments, insurance companies, real estate firms, and banks, as well as local government agencies, consumer organizations, and courts.