Program Notes
The program code for this degree is LAPPAAPT. For financial aid, academic advising, and other reasons, students should work with their advisor to ensure that this code is recorded correctly on their academic record.
Career Note: Paralegals must work under the supervision of a licensed attorney and cannot practice law independently. Washington General Rule (GR) 24 defines the “practice of law” as providing legal advice, representing clients in legal proceedings, negotiating legal matters, and applying legal principles to specific situations. Additionally, Washington’s Rule of Professional Conduct (RPC) 5.3 outlines attorneys’ ethical responsibilities in supervising paralegals. Within these guidelines, paralegals play a crucial role in supporting attorneys and clients. Their responsibilities may include conducting legal research, drafting legal documents for attorney review, interviewing clients and witnesses, organizing and managing legal files, and communicating with clients and other legal professionals.
Remote Pathway Option: Edmonds College offers a remote pathway for completing this program. While traditional on-campus courses are recommended when possible, students may complete the program remotely with careful planning and guidance from a faculty or academic advisor to ensure proper course selection and compliance with the face-to-face instruction requirement set by the American Bar Association (ABA). At least 14 credits must include real-time interaction, such as live-streaming classes where students are required to attend and actively participate.
Face-to-Face Instruction Requirement: Per ABA Guidelines, students must complete at least 14 legal credits through live instruction. This requirement can be met through traditional on-campus courses, online courses with real-time interaction (live-streaming classes where students are required to attend and actively participate), or hybrid courses, with only the live instruction hours counting toward the requirement. A 5-credit hybrid course counts as 4 face-to-face credits, a 3-credit hybrid course counts as 2 face-to-face credits, and a 2-credit hybrid course counts as 1 face-to-face credit. Online courses without published meeting times, LEGAL 291, LEGAL 299, and 1-credit hybrid courses do not count toward this requirement. The college will verify that students meet the face-to-face instruction requirement before graduation, but it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to ensure compliance.
Grade Requirements: Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 in all required legal courses to graduate. For LEGAL 200, LEGAL 205, LEGAL 210, LEGAL 228, and LEGAL 240, students must earn a minimum grade of 2.0. Those who do not meet this requirement must retake the course until they achieve at least a 2.0. If a course is repeated, any higher grade earned will replace the lower grade in the calculation of the student’s cumulative GPA.
College and Career Success: The Career and College Success (CCS) course credits apply to General Electives in this degree and should be completed within the first two quarters. If LEGAL 100 is unavailable in a given quarter, students may complete this requirement by taking CCS 100 - Career and College Success: Liberal Arts, or by getting approval from the Paralegal Program Director to take a comparable CCS course. Students who transfer in 30 or more college-level credits with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher are exempt from taking the CCS course and may substitute it with three additional General or Legal Elective credits. Students should consult with an academic or faculty advisor to confirm their exemption status.
Technology Skills Requirement: Per ABA Guidelines, students must demonstrate appropriate technology skills before graduating from this program. This requirement is fulfilled by completing LEGAL 228 with a minimum grade of 2.0 within five years of graduating. Alternatively, students with extensive and current legal technology experience may request a waiver and substitution by submitting a “Technology Requirement Waiver and Course Substitution” form to their Paralegal faculty advisor for approval. The form requires students to demonstrate that their legal technology experience aligns with the objectives of LEGAL 228. If approved, students may substitute five additional Legal Elective credits in place of LEGAL 228.
Legal Internships: Students are encouraged to take LEGAL 291 (Legal Internship) as a legal elective. Students will earn one credit for every 30 hours of paralegal work completed during the quarter. Paralegal work performed before or after the quarter does not meet this requirement. Students should communicate with a paralegal faculty advisor 4 to 6 weeks before the start of the quarter to receive an internship packet, support on locating an internship, and other course information. Students must register for the correct number of credits they intend to complete (1.0-5.0 credits). Students may take LEGAL 291 in multiple quarters so long as the total number of LEGAL 291 credits does not exceed five. This class meets two times only; students are expected to attend both classes to receive credit.
Legal Electives Note: A maximum of five legal credits may be earned in each of the following classes: LEGAL 291, LEGAL 296, and LEGAL 299. The sum for all of these courses may not exceed 10 credits. Additionally, previously offered Legal Electives that no longer appear on this Program Requirement Sheet but were listed on past Program Requirement Sheets for the Edmonds College Paralegal Program may be used toward current program requirements, provided they are no older than 10 years at the time the student’s graduation application is submitted. However, LEGAL 282 must be no older than three years at the time the graduation application is submitted.
Legal Program Requirements Note: LEGAL 200 and LEGA 240 may be no older than 10 years at the time the student’s graduation application is submitted, while LEGAL 205, LEGAL 210, and LEGAL 228 must be no older than five years at that time to count toward program requirements.
General Education Course Substitution Policy: Students must select General Education courses from the approved list on this Program Requirement Sheet. In limited circumstances, an official course substitution may be granted with the written approval of a Paralegal Faculty Advisor, who will determine whether the substituted course closely aligns with the General Education requirements and meets ABA guidelines.
Transfer of Legal Credits
- Legal Credits: Up to 20 legal credits may be transferred into this program with written approval from a Paralegal faculty advisor, including approval via email. To qualify for transfer, legal credits must: (1) be from an ABA-approved paralegal program accredited at the time the credits were earned, (2) have a minimum grade of 2.0, and (3) be no older than 10 years from the date of completion. However, LEGAL 282 must be no older than three years, while LEGAL 205, LEGAL 210, and LEGAL 228 must be no older than five years. Additionally, because LEGAL 205 and LEGAL 210 are state-specific courses, they may only be transferred from an ABA-approved paralegal program located in Washington State.
- Transcript Evaluation: The process to evaluate the transfer of credits is found on the Credentials & Evaluation webpage and should be initiated during the student’s first quarter. Please meet with an advisor if you have any questions about the transfer of credits. Use the following digital and physical mailing addresses if prompted by the previous college or university’s registrar:
credentials@edmonds.edu
Edmonds College
ATTN: Credentials
20000 68th Ave West
Lynnwood, WA 98036
The academic advisor for this program is:
Rhian Lindhjem | rhian.lindhjem@edmonds.edu | 425.640.1957
The faculty advisors for this program are:
Professor Ted Chen, JD | edward.chen@edmonds.edu | 425.640.1552
Professor Scott Haddock, JD | scott.haddock@edmonds.edu | 425.640.1185
Professor Theresa Pouley, JD | theresa.pouley@edmonds.edu | 425.640.1688
Program Website: Paralegal Program | edmonds.edu/legal
General Information for your ATA Degree
Program of Study Outcomes
Edmonds College’s four General Education Outcomes (Communicate, Act Responsibly, Reason, and Explore) are promoted throughout the college’s programs. Instructional programs of 45 credits or more foster learning in all four General Education Outcomes.
Student achievement is assessed in the general and program specific outcomes via the courses and course objectives that align with those outcomes. More information about program outcomes and course objectives can be found on the Using Program Requirement Sheets page.
Credit/Grade Requirements
A minimum of 30 credits or one-third of the required college-level (100-level or above) credits, whichever is less, must be earned at Edmonds College. Students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 in all college level courses.
Students Are Advised To
- Review how to apply for certain exams to be awarded as credit.
- Plan your schedule several quarters in advance in order to accommodate courses that are offered only once or twice a year;
- Review the college catalog for required course prerequisites and include these in schedule planning;
- Communicate with an academic advisor and/or a faculty advisor; and
- At least three quarters before you plan to graduate, contact any college(s) where you have earned credits and have your official transcript(s) sent to Edmonds College. Then, submit an Evaluation Request - Transfer Credits Form (available in Enrollment Services) to activate the process of transferring credits to Edmonds College.
Graduation Application
It is the student’s responsibility to apply for graduation. Your degree or certificate will not be awarded unless you submit a graduation application. A completed Graduation Application form must be submitted online by the 10th day of the quarter in which the student expects to graduate. Note: Applications for summer quarter are due by the 8th day of the quarter.
Transferring to Another University or College
- This degree is not designed to transfer to another university or college.
- If you are interested in a four-year degree, you should discuss the need for additional requirements with an advisor from the transfer institution.
Common Course Numbering
Please refer to the Common Course Numbering page for more information.
Cultural Diversity Requirement
All students earning a degree or certificate of 45 credits or more must meet a cultural diversity (CD) requirement by taking at least five (5) credits of CD courses. To learn more, go to Academic Information – Cultural Diversity Requirement in the online academic catalog.
College Resources
