LEGAL ASSISTANT

 

LEGAL ASSISTANT
Center and South Campuses

Students admitted to the Legal Assistant program are encouraged to attend a scheduled orientation session within their first year. Students do not need to complete the orientation prior to registering for classes. Please call 586.445.7167 to make arrangements.

Legal Assistant courses are geared to prepare a student to relieve an attorney from those portions of the legal practice that require routine legal processes. At the completion of this program, the student will be able to assist and work under the control and supervision of an attorney but must not practice law or give legal advice.

The goals of the Legal Assistant program are that students will:

  • Know their ethical and professional responsibilities as professional members of the legal services delivery team.
  • Be able to conduct legal research, accurately prepare legal forms and documents, know the purpose and function of legal pleadings, and conduct and summarize factual investigations.
  • Know the purpose and function of discovery and use electronic evidence.
  • Know substantive law in family law, wills and estates, real estate, administrative law, bankruptcy, court procedure, corporations and other business organizations.
  • Demonstrate competence in related courses in general education, business law, accounting, communications, mathematics, office management, keyboarding, and computer information systems.

In order to receive a Macomb Community College Associate of Applied Science degree in Legal Assistant, a minimum of 15 semester hours must be taken at Macomb. At least 10 of those 15 semester hours must be taken in Legal Assistant specialty courses. No more than 6 semester hours of legal specialty courses may be obtained through Credit for Prior Learning.

The Associate of Applied Science degree in Legal Assistant program is approved by the American Bar Association, 321 North Clark Street, Chicago Illinois 60610.

Program advisor Professor Jennifer Gornicki can be reached at 586.445.7176.

ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
(Minimum 62 Semester Hours)

A. Career Preparation and Related Courses

Course Course Title Suggested Sequence Sem Hrs
BUSN-1080 Business Law 1 X . . . 4
LEGA-2010 Michigan Legal System & Ethics X . . . 2
AND     AND
ACCT-1070 Accounting for Entrepreneurs X X . . 3
OR     OR
ACCT-1080 Principles of Accounting 1 X X . . 4
AND     AND
BCOM-2050 Business Communications X X . . 4
ITCS-1010 Computer & Information Processing Principles X X . . 4
BUSN-1090 Business Law 2 . X . . 4
LEGA-2080 Legal Research . X . . 4
LEGA-2100 Mechanics of Real Estate Law . X X . 3
LEGA-2120 Administration of Estates . X X . 2
LEGA-2090 Legal Procedure . . . X 4
LEGA-2190 Legal Writing . . . X 2
LEGA-2210 Electronic Evidence & Discovery . . . X 4
AND 5-6 semester hours from the following:  
HHSC-1700 Medical Terminology X . . . 3
BUSN-2060 Corporate Responsibility X X . . 3
LEGA-2110 Principles of Family Law . X X . 2
LEGA-2180 Business Associations . . X X 2
LEGA-2130 Proceedings Under the Federal Bankruptcy Code & Debt Collection . . . X 2
LEGA-2160 Proceedings Under Administrative Agencies . . . X 2
LEGA-2170 Criminal Law & Procedures . . . X 2
BUSN-1010 Business Enterprise . . . X 3
  45-47

B. Arts and Sciences Component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . minimum sem hrs 18

Students should plan Arts and Sciences courses with a counselor, academic advisor, or program advisor.

Under Group I.B., it is recommended that students take ENGL-1220, Composition 2.

Under Group IV of the Arts and Sciences Courses required for the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degree, the following courses are preferred for the Legal Assistant program per the American Bar Association.

Course Course Title Sem Hrs
ARTT-2610 Art of the Western World 1 3
ARTT-2620 Art of the Western World 2 3
MUSC-1030 Music Appreciation 3
MUSC-2710 Music History & Literature to 1750 3
MUSC-2720 Music History & Literature Since 1750 3
THEA-1100 Introduction to the Theater 3
OR    
Other courses from Creative Writing, Foreign Languages, Humanities, Literature and Philosophy are acceptable.  

C. Elective Courses......................................................................................none required