What education should a paralegal have?
1. Formal legal education – The American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE) and the American Bar Association (ABA) have endorsed minimum standards for paralegal education. An educational program approved by the ABA must require no less than 60 hours of classroom study. AAfPE has endorsed the ABA s minimum standard and has developed a model set of core competencies for paralegal education. 2. Content The formal education of a paralegal should include: (a) instruction in professional ethics; (b) legal research; (c) analysis of legal materials; (d) knowledge in drafting legal documents; (e) knowledge of judicial and administrative procedures; (f) knowledge of substantive areas of law; (g) knowledge of law office systems and technology; (h) oral and written communication skills. 3. Degree Levels Formal education for paralegals is available in a wide variety of formats. Colleges, universities, community colleges and proprietary institutions provide the following types of educationa
