Legal Assistant

The Anoka Technical College Legal Assistant program includes degree, diploma and certificate options developed by legal professionals. This online program combines basic administrative assistant courses with specialized legal courses to provide graduates a broad based skill set for success in the work place.

Degree
Diploma
Certificate

The Anoka Technical College Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Legal Assistant (LA) is a 60-credit program that consists of a core of general administrative courses, designed to develop basic skills, and additional credits of specialized legal courses.

In addition to basic keyboarding, accounting, and English language skills, the legal administrative assistant student will receive training in computer operations and legal software, legal transcription and document preparation.

Course Prerequisites

Prospective students should have strong communications skills, including grammar and writing, and an interest in computers and software. Prospective students should also be personable, able to function in stressful situations, and comfortable with confidentiality and other ethical requirements of the legal profession.

Some courses may require appropriate test score or completion of basic math, basic English and/or reading courses with a “C” or better.

The prerequisite for ADSC 1010 Keyboarding I is ADSC 1003 Introduction to Keyboarding Speedbuilding.

Program Learning Outcomes

By completing this program, students will achieve the following learning outcomes.

Communicate effectively, think critically to solve problems, interact in complex environments, and other general education competencies needed for success in careers.
Demonstrate competency in creating letters and legal documents, including the use of Microsoft Word.
Demonstrate the requisite skills for employment as defined by NALS and the LA Program Advisory committee. The LA Program will deliver an industry-validated technical education LA curriculum.
Successfully fulfill their internship at the legal host sites.
Be employed in a related job or continue their education in the legal field.

Program Sequence

FIRST YEAR
Fall Semester
Course Number	Course Title	Credits
ADSC 1003	Introduction to Keyboarding and Speedbuilding	2
ADSC 1010	Keyboarding I	3
ADSC 1031	Business English Skills	3
ADSC 1064	Government, Courts, and Criminal Law	3
INTS 1000	Critical Thinking Applications for College	3
TOTAL		14

Spring Semester
ADSC 1006	Business Law	4
ADSC 1054	Office Bookkeeping	4
ADSC 1197	Microsoft Word	4
ENGL 1107	Composition I	4
OR
ENGL 2105	Business and Technical Writing	4
TOTAL		16

SECOND YEAR
Fall Semester
ADSC 1075	Corporate Law, Collections and Bankruptcy	3
ADSC 1085	Probate and Real Estate Law	4
ADSC 1111	Legal Transcription	2
ADSC 1171	Microsoft Excel	2
Gen ed/MnTC	See list below	4
TOTAL		15

Spring Semester
ADSC 1095	Family Law and Civil Litigation	4
ADSC 1100	Legal Research, Citations and Office Procedures	4
ADSC 1135	Legal Administrative Assistant Internship	2
Gen Ed/MnTC	See list below	5

General Education/MnTC Requirements		16
Sixteen (16) general education credits of Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) are required. MnTC credits must be from three different goal areas. Student is required to take:
ENGL 1107	Composition I	4
OR
ENGL 2105	Business and Technical Writing	4
INTS 1000	Critical Thinking Applications for College	3
Choose eight (8) credits from the MnTC goal area		8

Admissions Requirements

Program Admission Requirements: Students are required to have an Accuplacer reading score of 78 or higher or appropriate test score for admittance to the program. If students do not achieve 78 or higher, they may take ATC READ0960 or ATC READ0900 achieving a C or higher for admittance to the program.

Graduation Requirements

All Anoka Technical College students seeking an Associate in Applied Science (AAS), diploma, or certificate must meet the cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher.

Transfer Opportunities

To see how this may transfer into other Anoka Technical College programs or into another college, visit:

Industry Information

As a legal assistant, you will work for lawyers in private law firms, governmental offices, legal departments of corporations, court houses, legal aid offices, or the offices of county attorneys or public defenders. The legal assistant functions as an assistant to the lawyer or judge.

Duties may include preparing legal documents, billing and accounting, processing correspondence, transcribing, communicating with clients, utilizing a variety of software, and organizing and managing a busy legal practice.
.

Wages/Outlook/Advancement

Wage information is available from the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

Faculty

Deborah Allen
763-576-4024

For service during summer hours, contact Enrollment Services
763-576-7710

The Anoka Technical College Legal Assistant (LA) diploma is a 35-credit online program that consists of technical legal specialty courses plus a core of general education classes designed to develop basic skills.

This online program combines basic administrative assistant courses with specialized legal courses to provide graduates a broad based skill set for success in the work place.

Course Prerequisites

Some courses may require appropriate test score or completion of basic math, basic English and/or reading courses with a “C” or better.

Program Learning Outcomes

By completing this program, students will achieve the following learning outcomes.

Communicate effectively, think critically to solve problems, interact in complex environments, and other general education competencies needed for success in careers.
Demonstrate competency in creating letters and legal documents, including the use of Microsoft Word.
Demonstrate the requisite skills for employment as defined by NALS and the LA Program Advisory committee. The LA Program will deliver an industry-validated technical education LA curriculum.
Successfully fulfill their internship at the legal host sites.
Be employed in a related job or continue their education in the legal field.

Program Sequence

FIRST YEAR
Fall Semester
Course Number	Course Title	Credits
ADSC 1003	Introduction to Keyboarding and Speedbuilding	2
ADSC 1006	Business Law	4
ADSC 1111	Legal Transcription	2
ADSC 1171	Microsoft Excel	2
ADSC 1197	Microsoft Word	4
INTS 1000	Critical Thinking Applications for College	3
TOTAL		17

Spring Semester
ADSC 1064	Government, Courts, and Criminal Law	3
ADSC 1075	Corporate Law, Collections, and Bankruptcy	3
ADSC 1085	Probate and Real Estate law	4
ADSC 1095	Family Law and Civil Litigation	4
ADSC 1100	Legal Research, Citations and Office Procedures	4
TOTAL		18

Admissions Requirements

Graduation Requirements

All Anoka Technical College students seeking an Associate in Applied Science (AAS), diploma, or certificate must meet the cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher.

Transfer Opportunities

The Legal Administrative Assistant diploma program has credit transferability to the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Legal Administrative Assistant program.

To see how this may transfer into other Anoka Technical College programs or into another college, please visit:

Industry Information

Legal Administrative Assistants assist lawyers in private law firms, governmental offices, legal departments of corporations, courthouses, legal aid offices, or the offices of county attorneys, public defenders, and judges.

Duties may include preparing legal documents, billing and accounting, processing correspondence, transcribing, communicating with clients, utilizing a variety of software, and organizing and managing a busy legal practice.

For service during summer hours, contact Enrollment Services
763-576-7710

The Anoka Technical College Legal Assistant certificate is a 17-credit online program that consists of administrative support career and legal courses to provide graduates a specialty area in law for success in the work place.

Course Prerequisites

None.

Program Learning Outcomes

By completing this program, students will achieve the following learning outcomes.

Illustrate proficiency in use of Microsoft Excel.
Demonstrate knowledge of keyboard.
Compose legal correspondence and legal documents.
Employ Microsoft Word.
Recognize legal terminology.

Program Sequence

FIRST YEAR
First Semester
Course Number	Course Title	Credits
ADSC 1003	Introduction to Keyboarding and Speedbuilding	2
ADSC 1111	Legal Transcription	2
ADSC 1171	Microsoft Excel	2
ADSC 1197	Microsoft Word	4
INTS 1000	Critical Thinking Applications for College	3
Technical Elective	See list below.	4
TOTAL		17

Technical Electives		4
Four (4) technical Electives are required for this certificate. Select one of the following courses:
ADSC 1006	Business Law	4
ADSC 1085	Probate and Real Estate Law	4
ADSC 1095	Family Law and Civil Litigation	4
ADSC 1100	Legal Research, Citations and Office Procedures	4

Graduation Requirements

All Anoka Technical College students seeking an Associate in Applied Science (AAS), diploma, or certificate must meet the cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher.

Transfer Opportunities

To see how this may transfer into other Anoka Technical College programs or into another college, please visit:

Industry Information

Legal Administrative Assistants support lawyers in private law firms, governmental offices, legal departments of corporations, courthouses, legal aid offices, or the offices of county attorneys, public defenders, and judges.

Duties may include preparing legal documents, billing and accounting, processing correspondence, transcribing, communicating with clients, utilizing a variety of software.