Paralegal Studies

Clarion University offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration — Paralegal Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Integrated Studies — Paralegal, as well as an Advanced Paralegal Certificate.

Clarion University will not, from this day forward, be accepting new students into the Paralegal Certificate in Oil and Gas. The students currently enrolled in the program will have the opportunity to complete their degree.

The programs prepare graduates to assist lawyers and their clients in law offices, courthouses, and governmental institutions. In addition, when authorized to do so by administrative, statutory, or court authority, graduates of the program may operate as independent contractors. The paralegal studies program is designed to provide for the education of paralegals. A legal assistant or paralegal is a person qualified by education, training, or work experience, who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency, or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible. A paralegal may not practice law.

Frank Shepard, Esq.
Program Director
307 Dana Still Hall
Clarion University of PA
Clarion, PA 16214
814 393 2607
814 393 1240

Mission Statement

The mission of all the Clarion University Paralegal Programs is to instill the knowledge necessary to become an effective member of a legal team in the pursuit of justice. We will educate our students in the procedural and substantive aspects of the law and its ethical practice. Graduates of a Clarion University Paralegal program will have the analytical and practical skills that are necessary to perform specifically delegated, substantive legal work under the supervision of an attorney. Our overriding mission is to prepare students to meet the challenges and problems confronting society with competence and ethical integrity.

Program Objectives

  • To prepare students for careers in the legal field or other careers impacted by the law.
  • To provide students with the knowledge to engage in legal research through multiple methods including West Law.
  • To educate students to apply the law to practical legal problems.
  • To provide the fundamentals of substantive law to enable our graduates to effectively work in these areas.
  • To provide a broad based education in general education skills.
  • To provide the necessary background in Humanities and Social Sciences to effectively seek justice.
  • To provide our students with the ability to perform practical legal skills in the workplace.

Learning Outcomes

  • To be able to effectively complete legal research tasks.
  • To be able to effectively prepare legal documents.
  • To understand the ethical responsibilities of a paralegal.
  • To understand complicated issues of substantive law.
  • To have the legal skills necessary to become an effective member of a legal team upon graduation.

Paralegal Studies Policy on Transfer Credits, College Level Examination Program (CLEP), and Prior Learning Assessment Credit:

  • The general education requirements must be met by coursework taken as part of the program or by transfer credit.
  • Students can transfer general education courses to Clarion University as long as the course was taken at a regionally or nationally recognized accredited institution. This determination is made by the Office of Admissions. Transfer credit is only given if the course is considered equivalent by the department teaching the course for which credit may be given. Final approval must be granted by the dean of the college which houses the course in question.
  • Clarion University of Pennsylvania will not accept any legal specialty course credit that was not received from an ABA approved program.
  • Students transferring to Clarion University must take more than 50 percent of their legal specialty credits at Clarion. In addition, transfer students must complete a minimum of 10 semester credits of their legal specialty credits through traditional classroom instruction at Clarion University.
  • Any credit that would be applied to a legal specialty course must be approved the Dean of the College of Business Administration and Information Sciences to insure that the course is equivalent to ours.

All Clarion University Paralegal Programs are approved by the American Bar Association. Clarion University is one of 268 institutions nationwide whose paralegal programs are approved by the American Bar Association.

Finding Quality Paralegal Programs

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Clarion University Law Journal


Clarion University College of Business Administration and Information Sciences has published the first edition of Clarion University Law Journal. The 52-page journal is the culmination of a class project for Advanced Legal Writing and Research.

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Morgan Douglass


"Studying abroad was definitely a little out of my comfort zone, but I am so glad I went! I would highly recommend this opportunity to other students."

 

 

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Samuel Saul Richardson


"I realized that I didn't have enough time to do an entirely new degree, but I thought that the paralegal program would be a great stepping stone. I could use those classes to see if I enjoyed learning about the law while also applying to go to law school."

Last Updated 6/22/20