Prepare for a career in legal services.
Students in the paralegal program at BHCC will train to assist lawyers in gathering and analyzing factual data, drafting correspondence, researching legal questions, and preparing legal documents. Paralegal employment provides flexibility (full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary or freelance) and the opportunity to enter the legal field without first obtaining a law degree. Graduates of the program may directly enter the workforce or opt to continue their education and pursue a four-year degree.
Learn more about the Paralegal Studies Program
Learn more about the Paralegal Studies Certificate
Upon Completion of This Concentration Graduates Will Be Able To:
- Enter the Legal Profession as a Paralegal
- Have knowledge of fundamental principles of the law and legal profession
- Prepare correspondence and pleadings to effectively assist the lawyer
- Have knowledge of Legal Research and Writing
- Understand the role of the paralegal in the delivery of legal services and identify and resolve legal and ethical issues associated with the paralegal profession
Career Outlook
Paralegals typically find jobs with law firms, corporations, government offices, non-profit entities, banks, health care organizations, bio-tech companies and financial institutions. Areas of specialization include litigation, corporate law, criminal law, regulatory compliance, intellectual property, bankruptcy, labor law, immigration, family law, and real estate.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the demand for paralegals is expected to grow approximately 10% from 2022 to 2032 and the position of paralegal is consistently ranked among the best jobs in America. Boston is home to one of the top legal markets in the United States and BHCC’s main campus is minutes away from many courthouses, law schools, law firms, and government offices.
This website is being provided to all incoming Paralegal and Legal Studies students as their guide to the program. All returning students must continue to meet the requirements of the program that were in effect when they entered.
BHCC offers two American Bar Association (ABA) approved programs, Paralegal Studies, A.S. and Paralegal Certificate. Both programs are approved to be completed entirely online. As per ABA requirements, students take a minimum of nine semester credits of legal specialty coursework through synchronous instruction (such as courses completed through synchronous videoconferencing format). The department ensures compliance with this through the scheduling process.
Unauthorized Practice Of Law Statement
A Legal Studies graduate may work as a paralegal only under the supervision of an attorney and is not authorized to engage in the practice of law. The ABA (American Bar Association) defines a paralegal or legal assistant as “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.'