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Legal Support Services is a degree category that consists of the following common degrees:
- Read more about Court Reporting
Court reporters, sometimes referred to as court stenographers, are guardians of the record. Their work protects the legal process. They capture the words spoken by everyone during a court or deposition proceeding and then prepare a verbatim transcript of the proceeding. Their real-time reporting allows attorneys and judges to have immediate access to the transcript and provides a way for the deaf and hard of hearing to participate in the judicial process.
Court reporting programs emphasize real-time writing theory and shorthand, grammar, computer-aided transcription, transcription speed building, legal and medical terminology, and court systems and trial procedures. Many programs offer a curriculum which combines court reporting with captioning, the process of converting audio content into text and displaying the text on a screen monitor or other visual display system.
- Read more about Legal Administration
The legal administrative assistant is a vital link in law firms and other legal settings. Education programs in legal administration train students in law office procedures. Coursework includes professional ethics, legal terminology, legal writing and documentation, bookkeeping and records management, client billing, general office software, and industry software applications in the areas of wills and estates, family law, litigation, and corporate law.
- Read more about Paralegal
Paralegal studies prepare students to perform delegated legal work under the supervision of a lawyer or a court.
The curriculum covers legal terminology and documentation, legal research, legal record keeping, investigations, court procedures, and applicable technology. Many training programs also incorporate an internship with a private law firm, a corporate legal department, the office of a public defender or attorney general, a government agency, or a legal aid organization.
Paralegal education programs exist at the certificate, associate degree, and bachelor’s degree levels. There are also post-bachelor’s certificate programs that allow individuals with a bachelor’s in a different discipline to earn the required credits and certification to work as a paralegal.