Approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) continuously for more than 40 years, our Paralegal program provides a practical educational experience to students new to the legal profession and those with years of experience working in law. The JCCC program provides students with real-world assignments and experiences to develop the skills needed to begin, continue, and move ahead in careers at private law firms, corporate legal departments, and government agencies.

Paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law.

The JCCC Paralegal program will prepare you for a successful career as a paralegal. You will learn how to investigate, interview, research legal precedent, and draft legal documents under the direction and supervision of an attorney. You will also develop skills in legal technology, litigation preparation, legal analysis, and communication.

Because we are an ABA-approved paralegal program, you must have earned a qualifying degree before you can be awarded the Paralegal Certificate from JCCC.

If you do not yet have a qualifying degree, you can still apply to the Paralegal program to earn the Paralegal Certificate, but you must simultaneously enroll in the Liberal Arts, AA degree program. You will be required to complete 60 semester credit hours, which are a combination of general education courses and paralegal courses. You must also complete the prerequisite courses ENGL 121 (or its equivalent), LAW 120, and LAW 121 with a grade of "C" or higher before your admission to the Paralegal program.

If you have an associate of arts, associate of science, bachelor’s, or graduate degree from a U.S. regionally accredited institution, then you may apply to the Paralegal program to earn the Paralegal Certificate, which requires successful completion of 32 semester credit hours. The prerequisite courses LAW 120 and LAW 121 must be completed by the end of your first semester in the Paralegal Certificate program.

A minimum of 18 hours of legal specialty courses must be taken from Johnson County Community College. JCCC, as an ABA-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.

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

(Major Code 489A; CIP Code 22.0302)

Paralegal Program web page

Program Learning Outcomes

Johnson County Community College (JCCC) is committed to offering high-quality affordable programs that focus on developing knowledge and skills conducive to life-long learning. Both the General Education Student Learning Outcomes and Institutional Learning Outcomes convey JCCC's approach to programmatic outcomes. Additionally, students who successfully complete the Paralegal Certificate from JCCC will be able to:

  • Demonstrate competency in the fundamental principles and procedures relating to the major areas of law in the United States.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the ethical standards of the legal profession.
  • Demonstrate effective general and legal technology skills.
  • Demonstrate effective communication skills used in a legal setting.
  • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate effectively in a legal setting.
  • Demonstrate the ability to retrieve, evaluate, and apply legal authority.