Paralegal Training

Traditional, On Campus

The following is a two-year Associate's Degree paralegal studies program for Legal Assistant/Paralegal positions. The paralegal training program length may be shortened by up to one year if prior college credits are accepted at the time of enrollment.

MTI also offers an Online Paralegal courses option for the second year class requirements. The OnlinePlus option allows students to take most of their classes online; on-campus attendance for OnlinePlus paralegal students may be as little as one night per week. Learn more about the OnlinePlus Paralegal Studies degree. MTI College also offers a diploma program for Legal Administrative Assistants

The Paralegal Studies program consists of two parts: general education and business classes in the first year and the legal specialty classes in the second. The program is two years in length in its entirety. Nineteen legal specialty classes are offered, six of which are elective classes.

Paralegal Training Objective
To provide a practical, quality education in the procedural aspects of law. Graduates will be able to serve as paralegals who contribute to the economical and efficient delivery of legal services to both the private and public sectors of the community.

Paralegal Training Description
The American Bar Association has adopted the following definition: A legal assistant or paralegal is a person qualified by education, training or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible.

Paralegal Training Requirements
Paralegals must possess good spelling, proofreading and writing skills; understand legal terminology and various legal documents; draft and prepare written documents; research, analyze, and prepare summaries; operate a computer using word processing; keyboard a minimum of 45 words per minute; and organize their time efficiently and perform a number of assignments effectively.

General Information on Paralegal Training
MTI’s Paralegal training program is one of a very select group of Paralegal education programs approved by the American Bar Association and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Our faculty is comprised of attorneys, paralegals, and other qualified individuals who have practical experience in the fields they teach. It is our intent that our graduates will act as ambassadors for this institution in proclaiming and supporting the demand for educational excellence in the training of legal assistants. Additionally, MTI’s accreditation and approval provide its graduates with the education requirements established by the California State Bar for admission to law school.

Professional placement assistance is available to graduates. Our past experience has shown that those students who actively participate in legal internship programs or law-related employment are much more likely to obtain paralegal employment upon graduation. The College will assist with the coordination and procurement of employment and internship positions for those who wish to utilize this opportunity.

Take the next step and contact an MTI Admissions Officer to find out which paralegal studies option is best for you!

MTI is a member of the Sacramento Valley Paralegal Association, and of the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA), a national organization comprised of paralegal educators and institutions offering paralegal and legal assistant education programs.

Career Avenues:
Employment is most often found in private law firms. However, other employment opportunities are available in corporate legal departments, insurance companies, hospital and school administration, and state and county organizations also hire paralegals. Seasoned paralegals may use their skills and knowledge in related fields, becoming law librarians, paralegal coordinators, law office managers, risk managers, human resource managers, internship coordinators, and teachers.