Legal Studies –The Bridge to Your Future

For 20 years Manor College, located just outside Philadelphia in beautiful Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, has been educating students to become paralegals. While hundreds of our graduates work in law firms, businesses and the government, others utilize their paralegal education as a foundation for pre-law studies.

Manor College is proud that all of its legal studies options are approved by the American Bar Association. Only 25% of all paralegal programs in the United States qualify for this accreditation and Manor is one of them!

A paralegal is an individual who possesses skills, learned through education and training, which he/she then uses to assist attorneys in the practice of law. Although paralegals cannot give legal advice, set fees or argue in court, you will learn, by browsing our website, that the opportunities for an individual who possesses a paralegal degree are endless! 
It is the primary objective of Manor’s Legal Studies programs to provide students with an education that will enable them to effectively assist attorneys in all phases of private and public law practice. To achieve this objective each of our programs is designed to:

- Develop in each student critical thinking and analysis skills;

- Enable each student to become an effective communicator through training in research, writing, listening, and speaking skills;

- Make each student a competent legal professional by providing him/her with both theory and practical knowledge and training;

- Immerse each student in the study and practice of information literacy; and

- Provide each student with a foundation in ethics and professional responsibility in order to enable him/her to recognize values and perform legal services in an ethical manner.

HOW CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT MANOR’S PARALEGAL PROGRAM?

Click on any of the links that appear on the previous page to learn more about the paralegal profession and Manor’s legal studies programs. Not only can you learn about paralegal and pre-law education by examining the information on these pages, you can speak directly with the program director and, if you choose, sit in on one or more classes so that you can meet students and faculty and experience Manor’s legal studies programs.
Please feel free to contact our department with any questions you may have.
Diane Pevar, J.D.
Director, Legal Studies
215-885-2360 extension 259
dpevar@manor.edu

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT A CAREER IN PARALEGAL

What is a Paralegal?
A paralegal (sometimes also called a legal assistant) is a professional who has been specially trained to assist attorneys in the practice of law. In the law office, paralegals act as part of the legal team representing clients in many different types of litigation and legal problems. 
Paralegals are also employed by corporations, banks, real estate and finance offices and the government, where they can experience an even broader range of job opportunities and challenges. In all employment venues, paralegals are highly valued for their ability to analyze, research and solve problems.
While a paralegal cannot give legal advice, set fees, or argue in court, paralegals serve a vital function in today’s society. Many individuals are being denied access to justice, but by using paralegals to assist in their practice of law, attorneys are able to help greater numbers of people with legal problems.
Many individuals who earn a degree or certificate in paralegal studies continue their education, earning a Bachelor’s Degree and often, continuing on to law school.

What Kinds of Tasks do Paralegals Perform?

  • Interviewing and meeting with clients and witnesses
  • Investigation and factual research
  • Law library research
  • Computer/Internet research
  • Drafting correspondence and court documents
  • File organization
  • Summarizing medical records and depositions
  • Filing court papers
  • Office management
  • Trial preparation and assistance

Who Would Make a Good Paralegal?

Many different kinds of people make excellent paralegals. No special training or knowledge is necessary to enter the program, but a candidate should:

  • Be interested in the law
  • Have good oral and written communication skills
  • Be outgoing and people oriented
  • Enjoy looking for information and solutions to problems
  • Be able to handle several projects at the same time

What Makes Manor’s Program Unique?

  • Manor’s Legal Studies Programs are approved by the American Bar Association.
  • Manor’s Legal Studies Programs will help prepare you for law school.
  • Manor offers five different legal studies tracks General Studies, Corporate Paralegal, Criminal Justice, Litigation Paralegal, and Government/Public Administration.
  • Manor has flexible scheduling (day, evening, Saturdays and online).
  • Manor’s library houses an extensive law library of over 3,000 volumes.
  • Manor subscribes to the computer assisted legal research database, WESTLAW.
  • Manor’s faculty is comprised of attorneys and paralegals who are experts in their fields of legal practice.
  • Manor provides externship opportunities that provide hands-on training and experience.
  • The Legal Studies office provides personalized placement assistance.
  • For those students interested in further education, Manor provides articulation to many area colleges and universities.
  • Manor has residence dormitories.
  • Manor has Men’s and Women’s championship level intercollegiate basketball and soccer teams.

More Information About Paralegals

These organizations’ websites will supply you with valuable information about paralegal professions and education:
The American Bar Association: www.abanet.org
The National Association of Legal Assistants: www.nala.org
The National Federation of Paralegal Associations: www.paralegals.org
The American Association for Paralegal Education: www.aafpe.org
Information on specific paralegal careers can be accessed at www.law.cornell.edu/topics.
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