Moraine Valley Catalog 2026-2027

Paralegal Studies (AAS)

A.A.S. Degree—60 credit hours
Curriculum Code 1490

This program prepares the next generation of educated, ethical legal professionals who provide support to lawyers, judges, and others in the legal community. The program aims to develop 21st century paralegals focused on access to justice, current trends in the law, and continuous learning and professional development. The program does so by developing paralegals’ skills in writing, research, and technology, which will result in exceptional support and assistance to those employing our graduates. The program also develops paralegals’ substantive and procedural paralegal skills in areas such as bankruptcy law, civil law, criminal law, family law, real estate law, and probate law, which will result in a value-added contributor to the legal support team. Finally, the program develops paralegals’ ethical and professional competencies, which will result in invaluable assistance to lawyers in the pursuit of access to justice for all citizens.

Our Program Mission, Goals, and Objectives 

Mission:

We are charged with preparing the next generation of educated, ethical legal professionals who provide support to lawyers, judges, and others in the legal community served by the college. We are committed to educating 21st century paralegals focused on access to justice, current trends in the law, and continuous learning and professional development.

 Goals:

  1. To develop paralegals’ skills in writing, research, and technology, which will result in exceptional support and assistance to those employing our graduates.
  2. To develop paralegals’ substantive and procedural paralegal skills in bankruptcy law, civil litigation, criminal law, family law, real estate law, and estate planning and probate law, which will result in a value-added contributor to the legal support team.
  3. To develop paralegals’ ethical and professional competencies, which will result in invaluable assistance to lawyers in the pursuit of access to justice for all citizens.

Objectives:

1. MVCC paralegal graduates will define, describe, and demonstrate the role of the paralegal in the legal profession through the mastery of legal vocabulary, the development of fundamental research and writing techniques, and the focus on paralegal ethics and professional responsibility.
2. MVCC paralegal graduates will research, analyze, and apply both civil and criminal authorities to a variety of fact patterns and further, analyze and apply the rules of evidence as they apply to these fact patterns.
3. MVCC paralegal graduates will develop the necessary skills in a variety of substantive areas of the law and will apply those substantive skills to a variety of documents produced under direct attorney supervision.
4. MVCC paralegal graduates will perform fundamental tasks involved in the running of a law office, including managing files, complying with ethical rules, and generating billable hours.
5. MVCC paralegal graduates will apply the skills developed during paralegal coursework into an internship opportunity with an area employer who will directly supervise the work of the paralegal in training.  

Modality and Application of Synchronous Training

Moraine Valley’s Paralegal Studies Program requires that your entire first year (18 semester hours) of legal specialty (100-level) coursework be completed in a synchronous format. A synchronous format provides for real-time interaction with your professor and your peers. This format also allows you to collaborate on in-class activities and discussions. Most of your second-year legal specialty (200-level) coursework is offered in an asynchronous online format. This allows you to work on each week’s deadlines on your own time and at your own pace with online feedback from your professor and your peers. Please see program coordinator, Professor Dave O’Connor (oconnor@morainevalley.edu), for any questions about your program or this policy.