Paralegal
Mission
The mission of the Paralegal Department is to provide high quality, affordable paralegal education that fosters personal and professional achievement.
The Program Objectives are:
*To enable students to think critically, reason abstractly, use oral and written language effectively.
*To provide students with the knowledge of legal theory, practice, and ethics.
*To help students develop the organizational and interpersonal skills necessary to work as part of a legal team.
*To foster computer literacy.
*To offer transfer potential to four-year baccalaureate programs.
Programs of Study
A high school diploma, GED, or passing score on a
federally approved Ability To Benefit Test is required for admission
to all programs. Contact the Admissions Office
for more information.
Announcements
KATHLEEN HIRBOUR,Esq.
The Coordinator of the Paralegal Program at North Shore Community College is Associate Professor Kathleen Hirbour.
Prior to joining the faculty in September, 2005, Kathy had many years of experience as an adjunct faculty member at Suffolk University and at Middlesex Community College. In addition to her teaching experience, Kathy has practiced in both the public and private sectors as a partner in a general practice law firm in Ipswich, as an associate in the litigation department of a Boston law firm, and as General Counsel for the City of Gloucester. She began her legal career as a paralegal specialist for the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington D.C. Kathy currently serves on the boards of directors of the Neighborhood Legal Services in Lynn MA and Merrimack Valley North Shore Legal Services in Lowell MA.
Office: Danvers Main Room 366L
Telephone: 978.762.4000 ext. 5537
Email: khirbour@northshore.edu
Transfer Opportunities
Suffolk University (joint admissions)
Mount Ida College
Springfield College, Boston Campus, School of Human Services
Program Accreditation
The Paralegal Program has American Bar Association Approval
Program Resources
Institutional Member of the American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE)
Institutional Member of the Massachusetts Paralegal Association
Web Resources
American Association for Paralegal Education
National organization that promotes quality paralegal education. Resource to educational institutions.
American Bar Association
Information about the organization, legal community, paralegal commission(scola),links to other sites.
Board of Bar Overseers
Information on ethics, practice of law, registration of attorneys.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Information from state agencies, courts. Includes cases, statutes, regulations.
Essex County Registry of Deeds
Access to resources and services. Deeds Online.
Findlaw
Comprehensive source for other legal resources.
Massachusetts Paralegal Association
Professional association for paralegals in Massachusetts. Offers educational programs, networking opportunities, job bank.
National Association of Legal Assistants
National professional association for paralegals.Sponsors certification programs for paralegals.
National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA)
National paralegal organization. Sponsor of PACE exam.MPA is an affiliate.
State Law Libraries
Research tools, law-related sites, referrals, location of libraries, hours.
WHAT IS A PARALEGAL
A paralegal is a person trained in law and legal procedures to assist attorneys in the delivery of legal services to the public. Although a paralegal may not practice law, a paralegal can perform substantive legal work for which the attorney is ultimately responsible.
TRANSFER POLICY
General Education Courses: Transfer credit is awarded for general education courses completed at other institutions with a "C" or 2.0 grade or higher. The student must arrange for an official transcript to be sent from the college previously attended.
Legal Specialty Courses: Legal specialty courses from ABA Approved Paralegal programs will transfer automatically to North Shore Community College if the student has a C or above in the courses. Legal specialty courses from non-ABA approved schools have to be evaluated by the program coordinator to ensure that the content of the course is comparable to the North Shore course.
Transfer credit is given for not more than three legal specialty courses (9 credits) to satisfy requirements for an Associate Degree or a Certificate. Transfer credit is not accepted for PLG 206 Field Placement for Paralegals.
Questions or comments to khirbour@northshore.edu.
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