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"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.

Legal Studies

Is one of the occupations projected to grow the fastest through the year 2014 according to the U.S.

Program approved by the American Bar Association

Projected to grow

Degrees

The legal assistant profession is one of the occupations projected to grow the fastest through the year 2014 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.

This program is approved by the American Bar Association and is designed to train qualified legal assistants capable of working in a variety of areas of the law and 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.

There are four different degrees or offerings in legal studies. They are as follows: (1) a four-year baccalaureate degree in legal studies with an emphasis in legal administration, criminal law, personal injury, labor law, legislative/constitutional law, environmental law and policy, legal technology, or client advocacy or a selected minor as approved by the legal studies coordinator; (2) a two-year associate’s degree in legal studies; (3) a post-baccalaureate (one-year) certificate in legal 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 (4) a minor in legal studies which can complement various majors (and may also be helpful to students who are planning on attending law school).

Legal assistants are employed with:

private 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 or public defender offices
educational institutions
financial service organizations
credit and collection agencies
service, consulting or publishing companies

Specialties in:

Client Advocacy
Criminal Law
Environmental Law and Policy Labor Law
Legal Administration
Legal Technology Legislative/ Constitutional Law
Personal Injury

Average Salary of Graduates (NACE)

$29,500

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*Based on survey of 2004-2006 LSSU graduates

Graduate in Marketing...

Anna Wilson, '06 Marketing

"Lake State is a local University that gave me the option to earn my education while located close to my family. My short-term goal is to gain as much experience as possible in the community and to possibly continue my education toward a Masters Degree. I’d like to continue my work within the city and take advantage of opportunities to be more involved in local politics. In the long term, after I’ve made myself as competitive as possible in the marketing field, I’d like to get a job at a medium to large size company and work more with individual products or brands as opposed to marketing a company itself." [ more ]