The Public Interest Paralegal Program offers an A.A.S. degree in paralegal studies, with an emphasis on training students for public service legal work. Students will be trained in the skills necessary to provide paralegal services in legal service and legal aid offices, community and religious organizations, social services agencies, the courts, unions, and other public service institutions.

The curriculum provides specialty training in the areas of Family Law, Employee and Public Benefit Law and Immigration Law, integrated with a general program of paralegal studies including legal writing and research and Hearing and Trial Advocacy. To insure access to the program for Spanish dominant students, introductory law courses from the Public Administration Program, required as part of the Paralegal Program, are offered in Spanish as well as English.

Students in the program will concentrate their studies in one of the three specialty areas, Immigration Law, Family Law, and Public and Employee Benefit Law. Each concentration includes an introductory course offered in either English or Spanish by the Public Administration Unit, and an advanced course emphasizing practical implementation of legal services in the students concentration area. Two three credit semester courses in a field placement office in which services in the student’s legal concentration are offered are also required. Thus, upon graduation, the student will have devoted twelve credit hours of study to their legal concentration.