Associates Degree in Law

Associate of Law and Legal Studies is offered at community colleges, junior colleges and online schools. It introduces its students to the basics of law and legal practice. The structure of the program allows students to understand the theory and practice of international and domestic law in detail through case studies.

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Coursework and Program Structure

Courses that the students have to study while pursuing an Associate of Law and Legal Studies program include international law, common law, employments laws, torts, constitution law, evidence, criminal law, land law among others. It is a comprehensive degree program that covers the basics of legal practice in the United States to rules of litigation.

Admission Criteria

The requirement for admission into an associate program of law and legal studies is a high school diploma or equivalent. The online courses and associate degrees are designed for individuals who are currently working in the legal field. Therefore, some experience with basic education can also possible enable you to get admissionget you into the program.

Career Outlook

An Associate in Law and Legal Studies can improve your prospects of being hired onto entry-level jobs in private law firms as well as consultation agencies as legal assistants. You can also potentially end up working with the government's legal department and law enforcing agencies. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in May 2014, paralegals and legal assistants earned a median annual salary of $48,350.

How long does it take to get an Associate Degree in Law?

An associate's degree in law generally takes two years to complete and is a good substitute for a bachelor's degree if you are unsure about committing to a four year long program. Few colleges offer bachelor's programs in paralegal studies. If you plan on becoming a legal assistant or a paralegal, an associate's degree will be perfect for you.

What are the requirements to get an Associate Degree in Law?

If you want to get an associate's degree in law, the first step is to find an accredited legal program. Apart from this, there are a few courses all associate degree holders are expected to take during their program. These include courses on:

Legal research
Torts
Personal Injury
Civil and Criminal law
Contracts

How much can I make with an Associate Degree in Law?

You can become a legal assistant or a paralegal with an Associates Degree. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, paralegals and legal assistants earned $55,020 as mean annual salary in 2019 and their annual median income was $51,740. The highest paying industry for paralegals and legal assistants in 2019 was Grantmaking and Giving Services, paying an annual mean salary of $91,110. The District of Columbia paid them $82,010 as annual mean income, the highest among all US states.

Job Outlook

Paralegals and legal assistants are projected to enjoy employment growth of 10% from 2019 and 2029, which is considerably higher than the average. This figure has been taken from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Frequently Asked Question(s)

Q:While searching for associate in law and legal, I came across a course on the First Amendment. What is the premise of this course?

A:The course on First Amendment would be mentioned when searching for associate in law and legal. This course is usually worth 3 credit hours and extensively deals with speech and religion clauses of the first amendment. Students with the help of this course also learn about the foundation of free expression and the analytical problems of the first amendment. Students also learn about the importance of the separation of church and state.

Q:Why should I get an associates degree in law?

A:An associate degree can be your entry way into a career of law. An associate degree is normally seen as pre-bachelors degree as it covers the first two years of an undergraduate degree. Graduates of associate's degree can either work at entry level positions in law offices as assistants or paralegals or they can choose to do their bachelor's degree in any related field of law.

Q:How long will it take me to complete the associate degree in law?

A:An associate degree in law is typically a two year program that is seen as a foundation course to the subject of law. There are many ways you can opt to do your associate law degree; full time, part time or online. Choosing either of these options will change the length of your associate degree.

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