Legal Studies - Lake Superior State University

Legal Studies from Lake Superior State University is a Campus Certificate Law degree that prepares you for a Legal career. Program Description: The legal assistant profession is one of the occupations projected to grow the fastest through the year 2014 according to the U.S. Department of Labor. A legal assistant (or paralegal) is a valued member of the legal team and works under the supervision of attorneys. This program is approved by the American Bar Association and is designed to train qualifed legal assistants capable of working in a variety of areas of the law and in a variety of work environments. Consequently, the role and job duties of a legal assistant vary depending on the areas of law and work environment in which a legal assistant is employed. Such diversity, varied challenges, and employment possibilities are what makes the legal assistant profession so interesting and rewarding. There are four different degrees or offerings in legal studies. They are as follows: (1) a four-year baccalaureate degree in legal studies with an emphasis in legal administration, criminal law, personal injury, labor law, legislative/constitutional law, environmental law and policy, legal technology or client advocacy or a selected minor as approved by the legal studies coordinator; (2) a two-year associate's degree in legal studies; (3) a post-baccalaureate (one-year) certifcate in legal studies (which is available to students who already have a bachelor's degree in some other discipline and wish to make a career change or advancement); or (4) a minor in legal assistant studies which can complement various majors (and may also be helpful to students who are planning on attending law school). Career Descriptions: Litigation Legal Assistant ? Conducts research; drafts legal pleadings and documents; interviews clients and witnesses; investigates, gathers and organizes case information; assists at trial. Corporate Legal Assistant ? Drafts and/or analyzes various legal documents; attends meetings, negotiations or closings; performs legal and factual research; monitors compliance with applicable industry regulations; assists attorneys with preparation for collective bargaining, contract negotiations, administrative hearings or trials. Criminal Law Legal Assistant ? Conducts comprehensive interviews of defendants, law enforcement, victims, and/or witnesses; performs case and feld investigations; locates and coordinates usage of applicable experts; prepares motions, briefs or other legal documents; acts as a litigation assistant during trial and any appeal. Governmental Legal Assistant ? Works as an immigration specialist; civil rights analyst; environmental protection specialist; mediation specialist; legislative analyst; workers compensation claims examiner, etc. (even the White House has employed legal assistants). Real Estate Legal Assistant ? Conducts title searches; drafts real estate closing documents; monitors compliance with title, survey, disclosure and/or regulatory requirements; schedules and participates in real estate closings. View more details on Lake Superior State University . Ask your questions and apply online for this program or find other related Law courses.