The Associate of Science in Legal Studies at Post University opens many doors for you. Use this program to determine whether you enjoy this field of study and want more options. The program could prepare you to take entry-level positions at law firms large and small, government agencies, and corporate legal departments.
Our legal studies degree is a skills-based program so you can choose specialized areas of law, such personal injury law, bankruptcy, and family law; plus, your coursework will cover civil litigation, legal research, probate practice, and estate administration.
Why Pursue a Career in Legal Studies?
A career in legal studies opens many doors into working within the legal system. Starting in support roles can lead to other roles, such as a paralegal, court clerk, legal assistant, administrative assistant, or even a real estate agent. Many firms will train support staff in higher roles – or you could use this degree to move into a bachelor’s degree program.
If you want to further your career, a bachelor’s degree in legal studies can prepare you to enter law school for a Juris Doctor (JD) to practice law. If you want to have a better understanding of the law and have a better opportunity for advancement, a bachelor’s in legal studies can set you on the right path to additional opportunities in legal settings.
A legal studies degree combined with a criminal justice degree can also benefit you if you decide to go into law enforcement or work as a probation officer.
Types of Legal Studies Degrees
In addition to the associate degree in legal studies, you can also earn a bachelor’s degree in legal studies. If you already know that the legal field is for you, you can start with a bachelor’s degree in legal studies. You will learn about different areas of law, legal research, real estate closings, legal writing, civil litigation, legal ethics, environmental law, family law, probate and estates, business law, and E-commerce.
You might have the opportunity to use your new skills by getting some hands-on experience with an internship in a law firm, local court, or other legal settings.
Finally, you could learn how you fit into a legal team and gain the technical skills required to provide top-quality legal services.
A legal studies degree opens many opportunities for legal receptionists, legal assistants, and paralegals. You can also use the degree as a solid foundation for obtaining a Juris Doctor degree.
How to Start Your Career in Legal Studies
Since very few law firms hire those with either no experience or the proper academic credentials, the best way to get started on your legal career path is to find a legal studies degree program, whether an associate degree or bachelor’s degree, that teaches you the ins and outs of being a legal support staffer. While many firms also prefer experience working in a law office, still others prefer legal assistants and paralegals fresh out of school so the attorneys can teach you their preferred way of doing your job.
With an associate’s or bachelor’s program, you could take an internship to get experience handling legal issues, helping you become more desirable to law firms and courts, including clerks and judicial assistants. At the end of your schooling for a bachelor’s degree, you might pursue working as a paralegal, or decide to become a lawyer and earn your JD degree.
Legal Assistant
Once you earn your degree, you could work as a legal assistant – who works with clients, helps draft legal documents and correspondence, schedules hearings, mediation and arbitration, and even helps with trial prep by organizing discovery and trial notebooks.
A legal assistant might support attorneys and paralegals. In larger firms, they often support only paralegals. As a legal assistant, you are constantly learning, even if you have one practice area. In larger firms, you might have one or two attorneys with one or two practice areas, but in smaller firms, a legal assistant might provide support to several attorneys and paralegals in several practice areas, including but not limited to:
- Civil law. Civil law is a “catch-all” for almost everything that is not criminal law.
- You could work with many different types of contracts, including real estate, business contracts, mergers and acquisitions, and more.
- Family law. Most people who choose family law learn about all sub-practice areas, including divorce, separations, and domestic violence, since they are often tied together. For example, you might work on a divorce case that involves domestic violence.
- Individual and business, Chapter 7, Chapter 13, Chapter 11 and more.
- Criminal law. Felonies and misdemeanors, federal and state.
- Personal injury. Premises liability, medical malpractice, car accidents, nursing home abuse, product liability, and more.
- Administrative law. Worker’s compensation, unemployment, and more.
How to Advance Your Career in Legal Studies
One of the best ways to advance your career is with on-the-job experience. However, not all firms are willing to hire someone with very little to no experience. The better way to advance a career in legal studies is to take continuing education. Continuing education courses are available at most universities, including Post University. You might take continuing education classes to keep up with the frequent changes in the legal sector.
Contact Post University for More Information
If you are ready to start training in legal studies, visit Post University to learn more about our associate degree in legal studies online or bachelor’s in legal studies online.
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Please note jobs and / or career outcomes highlighted in this blog do not reflect jobs or career outcomes expected from any Post program. To learn more about Post’s program and its outcomes, please fill out a form to speak with an admissions advisor.