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Anthony Pavicic

"The small student to faculty ratio was a real benefit in my preparation towards my teaching career. It enabled me to get to know my professors well and come to them for help with anything I needed."

Anthony Pavicic
Bishop Foley High School
Madison Heights, MI.

School of Social Sciences

Legal Assistant Studies

Legal Assistant (Paralegal) Profession

The legal assistant profession is one of the occupations projected to grow the fastest through the year 2005 according to the U.S. Department of Labor. A legal assistant (or paralegal) is a valued member of the legal team and works under the supervision of attorneys. The legal assistant profession is both challenging and offers many career advancement opportunities.

This program is designed to train qualified legal assistants capable of working in a variety of work environments. Consequently, the role and job duties of a legal assistant vary depending on the areas of law and work environment in which a legal assistant is employed. Such diversity, varied challenges and employment possibilities are what makes the legal assistant profession so interesting and rewarding. For instance, legal assistants are employed in law firms; corporations; financial institutions; government (federal, tribal, state or local); courts and mediation systems; real estate offices and title companies; insurance companies; special interest groups; prosecutor and public defender offices; educational institutions; financial service organizations; credit and collection agencies; and service, consulting or publishing companies.

Legal Assistant Program Offerings

There are four different degrees or offerings in legal assistant studies. They are as follows:

a four-year baccalaureate degree in legal assistant studies with an emphasis in legal administration, criminal law, personal injury, labor law, legislative/constitutional law or a selected minor as approved by the legal assistant studies coordinator;
a two-year associate’s degree in legal assistant studies;
a post-baccalaureate (one-year) certificate in legal assistant studies (which is available to students who already have a bachelor’s degree in some other discipline and wish to make a career change or advancement); or
a minor in legal assistant studies which can complement various majors (and may also be helpful to students who are planning on attending law school).

For further information on each of these programs, please see the appropriate curriculum description pages on this website.

1st Place in Robotics!

First Place
Lake Superior State University

Windshield adhesive inspection robotic work cell

2003 Cognex On-Campus Competition

May 9, 2003
Cognex
Natec, Mass.

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