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Translate this PageWelcome to the Pasadena City College Paralegal Program!
This program is designed to develop the skills necessary to have a successful career as a paralegal while learning about various subjects in law, how to draft and write legal documents, and how the working relationship between a paralegal and lawyer functions. Our paralegal program is approved by the American Bar Association. Completion of the Paralegal Studies AS degree and certificate will equip you with the competence to work in the legal environment and find a job as a paralegal.
Start Your Career as a Paralegal at PCC
A paralegal is an individual who possesses skills, learned through education and training, which he/she then uses to assist attorneys in the practice of law. By using paralegals to assist in their practice of law, attorneys are able to help greater numbers of people with legal problems.
In the law office, paralegals act as part of the legal team representing clients in many different types of litigation and legal problems. Paralegals are also employed by corporations, banks, real estate and finance offices and the government, where they can experience an even broader range of job opportunities and challenges. In all employment venues, paralegals are highly valued for their ability to analyze, research and solve problems.
Upon completion of the PCC paralegal program, you will be able to demonstrate paralegal skills and completion of paralegal tasks including case management and an understanding of the client relationship. You will also learn oral and written communication skills necessary to be a competent paralegal as well as develop employment-ready skills to secure and maintain work in the legal environment.
Career Statistics
Costs
The costs of each class for the program is the same as any other class taken at PCC. The schedule of cost are found at Admissions & Records Fees and Tuition page. If you need assistance with paying for the classes, visit PCC's Office of Financial Aid.
Our Courses, Degree, & Certificate
Our Paralegal courses are offered in asynchronous (fully online), synchronous remote (weekly meetings via Zoom), and in-person formats. Subject to the ABA requirement that each student complete at least 3 classes (9 credits) synchronously, you may take your paralegal classes from wherever you may be, in the format that suits your needs and preferences.
In order to be eligible to receive a Certificate of Achievement in Paralegal Studies, a student must (1) be a graduate of an accredited high school, have a G.E.D, CHSPE or can demonstrate that they have the capability of performing work at the college level and (2) complete a total of 60 units. Please visit the following page to see the specific courses that must be taken and the recommended course sequence.
Paralegal Studies
Paralegal Studies Program Policies & Outcomes
Transfer Policy
If you are a new or prospective student and you wish to request any deviation from the core course (legal specialty) requirements for the PCC Paralegal Studies Certificate of Achievement, you must submit a Request for Course Substitution form along with supporting documents (i.e., the course description from the school catalog, and official transcripts). The program will review your transfer form and supporting documents to determine if those courses are in alignment with the Pasadena City College Paralegal curriculum. Please note: a maximum of two core courses may be transferred from another college.
Minimum Hours & Credits
The ABA requires that you complete a minimum of 9 Hours of synchronous instruction. The following three courses are always offered in a synchronous zoom or face to face format:
- Plgl 135 Wills, Trusts, Probate Administration
- Plgl 137 Legal Writing and Drafting
- Plgl 141 Civil and Criminal Evidence
Subject to this requirement, our Paralegal courses are offered in asynchronous (fully online), synchronous remote (weekly meetings via Zoom), and in-person formats. Our program allows you to take your paralegal classes from wherever you may be, in the format that suits your needs and preferences.
Outcomes
Upon completion of the PCC paralegal program, you will be able to demonstrate paralegal skills and completion of paralegal tasks including case management and an understanding of the client relationship. You will also learn oral and written communication skills necessary to be a competent paralegal as well as develop employment-ready skills to secure and maintain work in the legal environment.
Paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law.
More About Us
Since 1924 Pasadena City College, located in the heart of Pasadena, California has been educating students to become professionals in the work force. PCC is part of California's 116 community colleges, which have a total enrollment of 1.8 million students, the largest higher education system in the United States and the third largest in the world.
The Paralegal Studies Program at Pasadena City College, established in 1972, is widely known and respected by the legal community. The program has been approved by the American Bar Association continuously since 1995. While hundreds of our graduates work in law firms, businesses and the government, others utilize their paralegal education as a foundation for pre- law studies. It is the primary objective of PCC’s Paralegal Studies 2-year program to provide students with an education that will enable them to effectively assist attorneys in all phases of private and public law practice.
People
Full-time Faculty
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Stephanie MarshallCo-Director
Stephanie Marshall
Co-DirectorStephanie Marshall was born and raised in the Bay Area and moved to Southern California to attend the University of California, at Riverside. Stephanie earned her Juris Doctorate from IU McKinney School of Law and has been a member of the California Bar since 2013. Out of law school, Stephanie practiced civil litigation at an insurance defense firm and then later moved on to consumer protection litigation.
In 2017, Stephanie began teaching Business Law an Adjunct Professor at Pasadena City College in the Paralegal program. In 2018, she became a full-time instructor teaching various legal courses including courses in litigation, torts, and legal research. Stephanie is currently the Co-Director of the PCC Paralegal program.
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Jeff WinterCo-Director
Jeff Winter
Co-DirectorJeffrey Winter has been a member of the California Bar for over 30 years. He practiced as an in-house counsel for Victory Development and FoodMarketPlace.com, one of the original .com companies in 1999. In 2003, Mr. Winter joined Dennis P. Block & Associates and specialized in Landlord/Tenant litigation, appearing in over 6,000 trials and concluding over 50 jury trials.
During this time, Mr. Winter was also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Pasadena City College in the Paralegal program. As an instructor, Mr. Winter taught various accounting and legal courses including Westlaw and Lexis legal research and has been teaching computerized legal research since 1995. In 2019, Mr. Winter became a full-time instructor and is currently the Co-Director of the PCC Paralegal program. Mr. Winter volunteers for the California Superior Court, Los Angeles County as a judge pro tem in his spare time.
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Elaine Fong
Elaine Fong
Elaine Fong has been a full-time instructor in the PCC Paralegal Studies Program for 30 years. She teaches Plgl 134, Plgl 135, and Bus 12A. During her tenure, Dr. Fong has been a co-advisor to the PCC Paralegal Association; Phi Alpha Delta (PAD) Pre-Law Fraternity – PCC Chapter; and most recently, the PCC Pre-Law Club.
Prior to teaching, Dr. Fong worked as an associate for a small law firm in Los Angeles, where she worked on a variety of legal matters, representing small businesses and individuals in civil litigation, corporate and partnership transactions, landlord-tenant, probate and estate planning, and occasionally, family law and immigration. She believes the breadth of her legal experience makes her a good teacher since the curriculum requires her to cover a wide range of topics.
Dr. Fong majored in American history and earned a B.A. at UC Berkeley. Following her undergraduate studies, Dr. Fong received a J.D. from UC School of Law (formerly, Hastings College of the Law) in San Francisco.In her free time, Dr. Fong volunteers at her church and has worked with youth groups and assisted refugees in their resettlement. She also likes to travel when on break, and she hopes her next long trip will be to Eastern Europe or New Zealand.
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Shanon Quinley
Shanon Quinley
Shanon Quinley is a Certified Family Law Specialist, certified by the State Bar of California Board of Specialization. Before transitioning to teaching, she managed a solo law practice in Pasadena focused on family law. She has been appointed as a Judge Pro Tem of the Los Angeles Superior Court and regularly presides over civil restraining order hearings. Professor Quinley plays a pivotal role in shaping family law policy as the Legislation Chair for the Family Law Executive Committee of the California Lawyers Association. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and her J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law. She has published several book chapters and articles on California legal issues. She teaches: Business Law (BUS12A), Family Law (PLGL140), Law Office Procedures and Ethics (PLGL142), and Civil and Criminal Evidence (PLGL141).
Adjunct Faculty
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Talar Guedikian
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Michael Knish
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Douglas Lusk
Douglas Lusk
Doug is the founder and CEO of National Society for Legal Technology (NSLT). Doug has authored multiple textbooks and is a nationally recognized expert in the field of legal technology education. The NSLT is used as classroom curriculum in over 320 universities and colleges in the U.S. and Canada and have individual members in 11 countries around the world.
After receiving his Juris Doctorate from the University of Laverne College of Law, Doug accepted his first Adjunct Professor position at Fullerton College. Never one to turn down a great opportunity, Doug also accepted Adjunct positions at Mt. San Antonio College, Daemen University, Salt Lake Community College, and Pasadena City College. Doug also serves on the Technology Advisory Group for the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).
CIO Views magazine honored Doug on the cover of their October 2022 edition and listed him in their “Top 10 Most Inspiring People In Legal Services, 2022.” Doug was presented the “Outstanding Leadership Award” at the 2022 Law2.0 conference in recognition for his contributions to the field of law.
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Estela Richeda
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Robert Richeda
Robert Richeda
Bob Richeda grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. After earning a degree in Political Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara, he served four years in the Navy. He completed law school in Los Angeles at Loyola University. His law practice began by co-founding a legal service program for veterans, which was funded, in part, by a California bar exam review course that he created and taught for over ten years. For the last 35 years he has practiced immigration law and civil litigation in Pasadena. He has taught a variety of courses in the paralegal program at Pasadena City College for more than twenty-five years.
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Susan Sweetman
Susan Sweetman
Professor Susan Sweetman is a former appellate attorney with a background in legal advocacy and analysis. Transitioning from the courtroom to the classroom, Prof. Sweetman serves as an adjunct instructor in Paralegal Studies. With a passion for both the law and teaching, Prof. Sweetman strives to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary for successful careers in the legal field.
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