Only the Herzing University paralegal programs at New Orleans and Atlanta are approved by the American Bar Association (ABA). The Herzing Legal Studies program offered online is not approved by the ABA.

Program Description

The program prepares students with the skills and academic knowledge necessary for a career as a legal assistant/paralegal working under the supervision of a licensed attorney. The American Bar Association defines a paralegal as “a person qualified by education, training, or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, government agency, or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible.” These career opportunities may be in small or large firms working as a legal assistant/paralegal. The duties of a legal assistant/paralegal include assisting the lawyer with research, brief preparation, and other legal office administration. Duties do not include practicing law, advising clients, or setting fees since paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law.

Admissions Limitation

Students at the Atlanta and New Orleans campuses may not enroll in this online program. All courses must be taken in an online format.

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student should be able to:

1. Describe the US legal system.
2. Describe the changing functions of the paralegal as the delivery of legal services evolves.
3. Demonstrate mastery of standard technology tools used in legal environments
4. Evaluate ethical decision-making practices in a legal environment.

Potential Occupational Titles

Potential occupational titles for this program include, but are not limited to, paralegal, legal assistant, title examiner, abstractor, legal researcher, and legal support worker.

Program Content

A minimum of 62.00 semester credit hours is required for graduation.