Our mission in union with the American Bar Association (ABA) and the State Bar of California is to extend access to legal services in our local community.  With this in mind, our primary focus is to prepare students to be paralegals and work in law-related environments that will ultimately lower legal fees and provide a wider access to legal services to our community.

With this in mind, our Paralegal Program has two tracks, a Paralegal Certificate program and an Associates of Arts Degree in Paralegal Studies program.  We have a set of goals and objectives for each program.

In regard to the first track, the Paralegal Certificate is offered to those students who already have an A.A. or higher degree.  These students have various goals and objectives, which our Program addresses, including:

1. Obtaining a Paralegal Certificate from an ABA approved Program to be able to enter the work force in areas such as: private law practice; governmental agencies such as courts, county, state, or federal agencies; the private sector (e.g. title or other insurance companies; larger companies with in-house counsel, intellectual property, or other legal divisions; other businesses with staff attorneys; etc.) and in the community or public service field such as with legal clinics and self-help centers.
2. Obtaining a Paralegal Certificate for students returning to the work force or changing careers for one reason or the other.  These students are interested in the same employment opportunities as noted above.
3. Obtaining a Paralegal Certificate in anticipation of attending law school.  The objective of these students is to use the Paralegal Certificate as a stepping stone to the career of being an attorney.
4. Obtaining a Paralegal Certificate as to those students who are already employed and are using the Certificate as an opportunity to improve their work position and status as many employers grant pay raises and promotions to staff who receive a Paralegal Certificate, especially from an ABA approved program.

The second track is for students who do not have an A.A. or higher degree, and they seek an A.A. degree in Paralegal Studies. The goals and objectives of these students include:

1. Just as some students seek Paralegal Certificates and go directly into the work force, the same is true for the A.A. students as well, as receiving an A.A. degree in Paralegal Studies permits students to achieve their objective of being employed as Paralegals in the same areas as noted above for those holding Paralegal Certificates.
2. To transfer to a University to seek a B.A. or B.S. degree, perhaps with an ultimate eye toward entering law school.  Our Program provides these students a solid basis for law school, along with a trade which can be used to earn income in the legal field both while in undergraduate and law school.