FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

El Centro College is accredited by the Commission of Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and is a member of the American Association of Community Colleges, the Association of Texas Colleges and Universities, and the League for Innovation in the Community College.

The El Centro College Paralegal Studies Program currently consists of fourteen paralegal courses and seven general education core curriculum courses. Courses are sixteen week semester-length courses offered in the fall and spring. A limited number of paralegal careers are offered Summer I and Summer II. Most of the paralegal courses have both day and evening sections available.

The El Centro program is the only community college paralegal program in the North Central Texas area that is approved by the American Bar Association.

The Paralegal Studies Program is an institutional member of:

• American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE)
• Paralegal Division of the State Bar of Texas (LAD)
• Dallas Area Paralegal Association (DAPA)

The curriculum includes courses that provide a combination of legal theories, principles, procedures, practical applications, and production of legal documents.

Concepts that the student should grasp during the course of the Program include:

• Theoretical knowledge of substantive and procedural law and knowledge of the practical skills required to perform as a highly skilled paralegal;
• A grasp of the American judicial system on the local, district, state, and federal levels;
• A vocabulary of legal terms, including (but not limited to) those frequently used in civil and criminal litigation, real estate, business organizations, torts, contracts, wills and estates, and bankruptcy;.
• An understanding of the operation of a law office, gained both through classroom instruction and work experience;
• The importance of attention to detail and accuracy in paralegal work -- stressed in legal research and writing courses;
• The ethical responsibilities incumbent upon the person serving as a paralegal, including the practice of client confidentiality, the prohibition on the paralegal's giving legal advice to the client, and the importance of the paralegal's avoiding the commission of the unUpdated and Maintained byized practice of law; and
• The importance of continuing legal education after the student has graduated from the Program.

Among the specific competencies and tasks that a graduate will be expected to perform upon completion of the Program are:

• Critical thinking and analysis -- the application of facts to a situation to produce a solution;
• Writing -- the application of special techniques to produce clear and concise communication in legal documents;
• Identification and solving of problems, basic investigation and searching of public and court records;
• Verbal communication skills;
• Legal and factual research, using resources in print format and computer format, and
• Ability to organize information and draft legal documents.

Students may earn credit for experience gained "on the job". Throughout the metroplex legal community, Cooperative Work Experience/Internship placements are available to students who enroll in elective courses LGLA 1380 and LGLA 2380. Students work in private and public legal agencies, corporate law departments, and law firms.

In addition to working at least 15 hours a week at a work site, enrolled students attend a one-hour weekly seminar. Seminar topics include setting goals, balancing quality of life, time management, interview techniques and resume construction.

El Centro College, the flagship college of the Dallas County Community College District, is located in downtown Dallas, Texas, between Main, Elm, Lamar and Market Streets -- only a block from the West End station of DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit).

• Map to El Centro College
• Map to downtown Dallas

The college's location is particularly advantageous for paralegal students. The federal courthouse, the district courthouse, the Records Building, the county law library, and numerous law firms are all within walking distance. The College's convenient urban location is an asset to students who may work in or near the downtown Dallas area.

No, El Centro College is located in the heart of downtown Dallas. Students are responsible for providing their own housing.

Students are responsible for providing their own transportation and parking. Students may qualify for a free DART bus and light rail pass for each semester.

All of the paralegal courses are available at El Centro College during the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. Two introductory courses are available at North Lake College and Richland College on a home/host basis. This allows students to become acquainted with the Paralegal Studies Program. Under the home/host program, El Centro College is the "home campus;" North Lake and Richland Colleges are each a "host campus." All "home-host" courses are taught by El Centro Paralegal Studies Program faculty.

Paralegal courses offered at the host campuses include:

• LGLA-1313 Introduction to Paralegal Studies
• LGLA-1301 Legal Research and Writing

For the remainder of the degree requirements, students take program courses at El Centro.

Refer to the Fall or Spring Schedules of North Lake or Richland for times and days of "home-host" course offerings under Paralegal or Legal Assistant listings.

The Dallas County Community College District provides job placement services free of charge to DCCCD students (credit and noncredit), alumni and former students. Job opening notices the Program receives are also posted in the college's Career Services Center and on the ECC Paralegal Student Association website.

New and used textbooks required for most paralegal courses are available for purchase by students in the College Bookstore on campus. The cost of books per course can vary. Online resources are also available.

The Program's primary library (the "Law Library") specifically serves the Program, although it is open to all College personnel and students.

The Law Library offers legal resources in two formats:

Print (hard and soft cover) Computer (WESTLAW, LEXIS, the Internet, and various resources on CD-ROM)

Students who have successfully completed academic credit courses with a grade of "C" or better from other colleges and universities may seek to have these courses considered for transfer into the El Centro College Paralegal Studies program. Students should contact the program conselor at El Centro to have these courses considered for transfer credit.

Applicants with coursework over ten years old who wish to have that transcript work ignored under the "Academic Fresh Start" provision should consult the program couselor as to the advisability of such an action.

Consideration of courses for transfer credit from colleges and universities outside the United States will be given. Before foreign credentials will be considered for transfer credit, the student must arrange the evaluation of transcripts and related documentation by a professional evaluation agency. The student is responsible for all costs of the evaluation and translation of foreign credentials. Students are advised that this process is sometimes quite lengthy and expensive. Contact the program counselor for information.

The ECC Paralegal Studies Program consists of 14 paralegal courses and 7 general education core courses. Many of the general education courses are offered in both on-campus and online formats. All of the paralegal courses are offered in on-campus or web-enhanced on-campus format so that the high educational standards required by the American Bar Association can be maintained.

Some courses that you will find helpful to prepare for the paralegal profession are:

• English
• Psychology
• Speech
• Math (algebra)
• General business
• Basic Computer Systems
• Accounting
• Typing/keyboarding
• Office practice

• Carole Olson, Coordinator, colson@dcccd.edu"
• Dudley Knox, dlk5514@dcccd.edu"
• Sharman Beasley, msb5514@dcccd.edu"
• Freddy Rodrigue, pxr5320@dcccd.edu"