JJC Program Code: SS600
ICCB Program Code: P SER 0060
Paralegal studies is designed to prepare and provide students with a rigorous academic program as well as a career focused skills required to be successful working in the legal field. Under supervision of an attorney, duties may include preparing affidavits or other documents, such as legal correspondence, and maintaining documents in paper or electronic filing system; organizing and preparing exhibits for trial; preparing legal documents, including legal memoranda and briefs, pleadings, discovery, appeals, wills, contracts, and real estate closing statements; meeting with clients and other professionals to discuss details of case and prepare witnesses; filing pleadings with court clerk; gathering and analyzing research data, statutes, decisions, and legal articles, codes, and documents; investigating facts and law of cases and search pertinent sources, such as public records, to determine causes of action and to prepare cases; directing and coordinating law office activity, including delivery of subpoenas. At the completion of the program, graduates should have the necessary skills to seek entry-level employment as paralegals.
The paralegal program at Joliet Junior College is a non-ABA approved program.