As a paralegal, you can provide a vital role in legal offices, serving as a legal assistant.
Paralegals are qualified to perform law-related work which requires knowledge of legal concepts and procedures and is usually, but not exclusively, performed by lawyers. Under the supervision of a lawyer, you may analyze legal issues; investigate and evaluate facts; prepare pleadings, contracts, forms, legal memoranda, and other documents; interview clients; assist in case management; and perform other duties to assist a lawyer in the delivery of legal services to clients. However, paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public.
Berkeley College’s Paralegal Studies (A.A.S) degree program is approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) and is designed to prepare you with the technical skills, general knowledge, and communication abilities necessary to be a successful entry-level legal assistant. With your degree you can work in areas of practice such as
Litigation
Environmental Law
Business/Corporate
Collection
Real Estate
Employee Benefits
Trusts and Estates
Computer Law
Family Law
Intellectual Property
Criminal Law
Securities
Tax
Entertainment Law
Bankruptcy
Workers' Compensation
Immigration
Berkeley College's program gives you the competitive edge and is distinguished from other college programs by
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small class size for more personal attention
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emphasis on technology, highly relevant in today's legal environment
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hands-on approach for faster learning
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attorneys as faculty, to benefit from first-hand experience.
Graduates of Berkeley's Paralegal Studies program may choose to take national certifying exams offered by the National Federaton of Paralegal Associations and the National Association of Legal Assistants. Many students will go on to complete a Bachelor's degree in business, pursue law school, or work in law offices, legal departments of corporations, banks, accounting firms, or government offices. Click here for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Paralegal Profession.
Your degree opportunity:
NEW YORK Midtown Manhattan, Lower Manhattan Extension Center*
NEW JERSEY Newark, Paramus, West Paterson, Woodbridge*
*Students at the Paramus, Woodbridge, and Newark locations may complete their final three quarters at the West Paterson location. Not all courses are offered at the Lower Manhattan Extension Center.
Have you earned 60 college credits, or do you already have an Associate's degree? Berkeley College also offers a non-credit Paralegal Studies certificate.
Outstanding faculty and resources! Attorneys with experience supervising and mentoring paralegals in the real world as faculty members
State-of-the-art technology resources and library
Academic Support Center
Real world experience! Full-time paralegal internships
The competitive edge! More than 20 Career Services professionals
Free lifetime career assistance
Earn an Associate's degree in just 18 months
Last year, 96% of Berkeley College graduates available for placement were employed in positions related to their studies at Berkeley!
"The students know we’re always available for them, and they take advantage of that. They come see us all the time, even if they don’t have anything specific — just to tell us how they are doing, how things are going. That’s something you don’t see in larger schools."
Kenneth Husserl Professor, Legal Studies, New York
