Paralegal Studies Concentration

The Paralegal Concentration within the Justice Studies major prepares students for careers in law-related fields. In addition to gaining both theoretical and practical exposure to the role of the paralegal in the practice of law, this concentration will introduce students to broad social and cultural issues of justice and justice systems. Students will also learn about issues such as psychopathology, jury selection, and forensic psychology.

Students study litigation, legal research, legal writing, document drafting, and a choice of areas of law such as real estate law, criminal law, family law, patent and trademark law, and estate practice, to name a few. Paralegal Studies graduates work in such diverse positions as: investigators, claims analysts, compliance officers, human resource officers, criminal justice professionals, legal advocates, and dispute resolution practitioners. With the exception of giving legal advice, making court appearances, and setting fees, a paralegal may carry out many tasks traditionally performed by an attorney.

Paralegals are not limited to law offices; corporations, the judiciary, and the public sector also provide job opportunities. In the public sector, paralegals are employed in a variety of interesting and challenging positions. In prosecutor's offices, they may act as interviewers or investigators: their counterparts in the public defender's office offer assistance in preparing defenses of those accused of crimes. On the civil side, they may work in the area of social services and serve as advocates in administrative law settings.

The paralegal profession continues to be one of the fastest growing professions in the country, according to the United State Department of Labor. Paralegals--sometimes referred to as legal assistants or legal analysts--work under the supervision of an attorney in a variety of areas. Paralegals have come to be recognized as an essential part of the legal team, assuming a key role in the effort to provide more efficient and economical service both to the public and the legal community. The Montclair State Paralegal Studies Program is the only undergraduate program at a four-year college or university in New Jersey to be approved by the American Bar Association.

Paralegal Studies is also available as an undergraduate minor and as a post-baccalaureate certificate program. For more information see the Legal Studies Department web site at http://chss.montclair.edu/leclair/msu2.html.

Major in Justice Studies With A Paralegal Studies Concentration

REQUIRED COMMON CORE: 15-16 CREDITS

(All courses are 3 credits)

JUST200 Perspectives on Justice Studies I
JUST201 Perspectives on Justice Studies II
JUST221 Research in Justice Studies: Social Science Perspectives
JUST312 Research in Justice Studies: Legal Perspectives
JUST497 Senior Seminar and Field Experience in Justice Studies (Externship)   

CONCENTRATION: 24 CREDITS

I. Additional Required Courses: 9 credits

LSPR210 Law and Litigation
LSPR339 Computer Applications in the Legal Environment
LSPR362 Legal Writing

II. Choice of 5 courses from among the following: 15 credits
Students must include at least one Psychology or Sociology course from the courses listed below.

A. Students must include at least one course from this group:

LSPR304 Real Estate Law
LSPR306 Contract Law for Paralegals
LSPR310 Funds. of Patent, Trademark, & Copyright Law
LSPR322 Wills, Trusts, and Probate Law
LSPR330 Family Law
LSPR336 Corporations and Partnerships

B. Students may include up to two courses from this group:

LSPR301 Criminal Law & Procedure
LSPR317 Evidence
LSPR305 Immigration Law
LSPR308 Negotiation, Mediation and Arbitration
LSPR332 Personal Injury Law
LSPR411 Advanced Patent, Trademark, & Copyright Law
LSPR420 Advanced Civil Litigation
LSPR438 Trademark Law
LSPR441 Advanced Computer Systems in the Legal Environment
LSPR450 Law Office Management and Technology
LSPR460 Advanced Legal Research and Writing
LSPR499 Selected Topics in Paralegal Studies

C. Students may include up to two courses from this group:

JUST499 Selected Topics in Justice Studies
LSLW315 Mediation Process & Apps (precludes LSPR308 major cr)
LSLW360 Rights, Liberties, and American Justice 
LSLW391 Women and the Law
LSPR316 Skills for Bilingual Legal Personnel
PHIL/LSLW324 Legal Reasoning
POLS304 State and Local Government
POLS321 Law in Society: Criminal Law (precludes LSPR301 major cr)
PSYC224 Children's Rights and Child Advocacy
PSYC248 Psychology and Law
PSYC330 Forensic Psychology
SOCI101 Criminology
SOCI202 Racial and Ethnic Relations 
SOCI232 Introduction to Criminal Justice
SOCI321 White Collar Crime
SOCI322 Juvenile Delinquency and Juvenile Justice
SOCI351 Juries and Justice
SOCI420 Sociology of Law

D. With departmental permission, seniors may substitute up to two courses at the 500 level.


TOTAL CREDITS HOURS FOR JUSTICE STUDIES MAJOR WITH CONCENTRATION IN PARALEGAL STUDIES: 39-40 CREDITS