Associate of Arts with Emphasis in Paralegal

This is an archived copy of the 2021-22 Catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.jccc.edu/.

The prerequisite courses must each be completed with a grade of "C" or higher prior to admission to the paralegal program. A minimum of 18 hours of legal specialty courses must be taken from Johnson County Community College. JCCC, as an American Bar Association-approved paralegal program, requires its students to take at least nine semester credits through synchronous (real-time) instruction, which may occur on campus or online. Please contact Gwenda Hawk for more information.

PARALEGALS MAY NOT PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICE DIRECTLY TO THE PUBLIC, EXCEPT AS PERMITTED BY LAW.

The paralegal program at JCCC:

  • Has a challenging curriculum
  • Requires that you possess excellent communication skills, analytical ability and a high level of motivation
  • Is approved by the American Bar Association
  • Is a selective admission program based on various academic and testing criteria

Students must earn a grade of “C” or higher in all LAW courses.

Suggested Sample Course Sequence

Students may take any number of courses each semester that will also allow them to fulfill their other personal and professional responsibilities.

(Major Code 264A; State CIP Code 24.0101)

Paralegal Program web page

Associate of Arts Degree

Program Prerequisites

ENGL 121Composition I*3
LAW 120Introduction to Paralegal Studies3
LAW 121Introduction to Law3
Total Hours9

First Semester

COMS 120Interpersonal Communication3
or COMS 121 Public Speaking
or COMS 125 Personal Communication
or COMS 180 Intercultural Communication
ENGL 122Composition II*3
Humanities Elective ^3
Mathematics Elective ^3
Total Hours12

Second Semester

LAW 132Civil Litigation*3
LAW 134Introduction to Legal Technology*3
LAW 195Legal Research*3
Social Science and/or Economics Elective3
Total Hours12

Third Semester

LAW 201Advanced Legal Technology*3
LAW 205Legal Analysis and Writing*3
Paralegal Elective (see below)3
Science course with lab ^4
Science and/or Mathematics Elective ^2
Total Hours15

Fourth Semester

LAW 271Legal Ethics, Interviewing and Investigation*3
Humanities Elective ^3
Paralegal Electives (see below)6
Social Science and/or Economics Elective ^3
Total Hours15

Paralegal Electives

LAW 142Tort Law*3
LAW 144Contract Law*3
LAW 148Criminal Litigation*3
LAW 152Real Estate Law*3
LAW 162Family Law*3
LAW 165Forensic Science and the Law*3
LAW 226Immigration Law*3
LAW 245Elder Law and Estate Planning*3
LAW 247Intellectual Property Law*3
LAW 266Employment Law*3
LAW 269Bankruptcy Law*3
LAW 275Paralegal Internship I*1
LAW 276Paralegal Internship II*1
LAW 277Paralegal Internship III*1
LAW 292Special Topics:*3

Total Program Hours: 63