PARALEGAL PROGRAM CERRITOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE Alondra Blvd Norwalk, CA (562) ext. 3026

IMPORTANT CONTACTS Gerald I. Stein, Paralegal Program Director Gerald I. Stein, Paralegal Program Director Mary C. Pribble, Asst. Paralegal Program Director Mary C. Pribble, Asst. Paralegal Program Director Mary Mullin, Full-Time Instructor Mary Mullin, Full-Time Instructor Mary Ann Brizuela, Assistant to Legal Dept. Mary Ann Brizuela, Assistant to Legal Dept. Johnny Cooper, Lab Assistant Johnny Cooper, Lab Assistant

Dear prospective Paralegal Student: We would like to thank you for your interest in our Paralegal Program here at Cerritos Community College. We are an American Bar Association approved program with three full-time faculty members and approximately nine adjunct faculty members. Our faculty members are either practicing attorneys or paralegals, all of whom have extensive practical experience in the subject matter they teach. Our program emphasizes not only the substantive area of law but also concentrates on learning how to draft documents and court forms that are used in the “real world”. We are fortunate to have a complete law section in our school library so that our students do not have to go off campus to do any legal research for class projects. We also have a state of the art dedicated computer room for our paralegal students with over 30 work stations with the latest legal software that is used in law offices. Our program here at Cerritos consists of two tracks depending on whether or not you already have a degree or are working towards an A.A. degree. If you are working towards your A.A. degree with a major in paralegal studies, you are required to take a total of 33 units of paralegal classes in addition to your general education requirements for a total of 60 units to graduate with an Associate in Arts Degree. For those of you who already have an A.A. Degree or higher, we have a “certificate program” that requires you to complete a total of 21 units of paralegal classes. Upon completion of these units, you will receive your paralegal certificate. If the event that you have any questions about our program, please feel free to call us at our Legal Department office (562) extension 3026 or us at our website contact page.

“Paralegal” means a person who holds himself or herself out to be a Paralegal, who is qualified by education, training, or work experience, who either contracts with or is employed by an attorney, law firm, corporation, government agency, or other entity, and who performs substantial legal work under the direction and supervision of an active member of the State Bar of California. A paralegal shall not provide legal advice or engage in conduct that constitutes the unauthorized practice of law. (Business & Professions Code Section 6450) “Paralegal” means a person who holds himself or herself out to be a Paralegal, who is qualified by education, training, or work experience, who either contracts with or is employed by an attorney, law firm, corporation, government agency, or other entity, and who performs substantial legal work under the direction and supervision of an active member of the State Bar of California. A paralegal shall not provide legal advice or engage in conduct that constitutes the unauthorized practice of law. (Business & Professions Code Section 6450) PARALEGAL

PARALEGAL PROGRAM Approved by the American Bar Association Approved by the American Bar Association 3 Full-Time Instructors 3 Full-Time Instructors Approximately 9 adjunct faculty members Approximately 9 adjunct faculty members Either practicing attorneys or paralegals, with experience in the subject matter they teach. Either practicing attorneys or paralegals, with experience in the subject matter they teach. Complete Law section in the library Complete Law section in the library State of the Art computer room State of the Art computer room New Computers New Computers Over 30 work stations Over 30 work stations Latest legal software Latest legal software Legal Internship at over 60 locations Legal Internship at over 60 locations Private Law Offices Private Law Offices Local Courthouses Local Courthouses Legal Aid Clinics Legal Aid Clinics District Attorney/Publlic Defender Offices District Attorney/Publlic Defender Offices Two Track Program (Certificate/A.A. Degree) Morning, Evening and On-Line classes Lab Technician available during lab hours To help with preparation of documents Paralegal Specialties are available in Commercial Probate & Estate Planning Litigation Family Law Legal Technology Criminal Law Business Law

BUSINESS LEGAL-TWO YEAR PLAN PARALEGAL A.A. DEGREE (MAJOR #233) YEAR 1- First Semester COURSE BL 101 Introduction to Law3 Units BL 56 Introduction to Computerized Legal Software3 Units BL 100 Introduction to California Civil Procedures3 Units BL 103 Legal Research3 Units GENERAL EDUCATION3 Units TOTAL 15 Units YEAR 1 Second Semester COURSE BL 102 OR Advanced California Civil Procedures BL 113 Fundamentals of Alternate Dispute Resolutions 3 Units (3) Units BL 120 OR Legal Ethics BL Occupational Work Experience 1.5 Units (1-4) units BL 111 Business Law3 Units GENERAL EDUCATION6 Units TOTAL 13.5 – 16 Units

YEAR 2-First Semester COURSE LEGAL SPECIALTY3 Units LEGAL SPECIALTY3 Units GENERAL EDUCATION3 Units GENERAL EDUCATION3 Units GENERAL EDUCATION3 Units TOTAL 15 Units YEAR 2- Second Semester COURSE GENERAL EDUCATION3 Units GENERAL EDUCATION3 Units LEGAL SPECIALTY3 Units LEGAL SPECIALTY3 Units LEGAL SPECIALTY3 Units TOTAL 15 Units THIS PROGRAM IS APPROVED BY THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION This is an unofficial document