Allied Health and Public Safety
Paralegal Studies

The Merritt College Paralegal Studies Associate in Arts program provides the practical and technical instruction to meet the requirements of the California Business and Professions Code Section 6450 to be qualified as a Paralegal in California. This program is designed not only for those who would like to become a Paralegal, but also for those who are interested in going to law school and pursuing a career in law.
There is a growing need for trained paralegals who know substantive law and administrative procedures required by the law and the court systems. The paralegal performs various legal tasks under the supervision of attorneys, including conducting legal research and drafting legal documents. Paralegals provide staff support for attorneys in a law office or in a legal setting. Many of these tasks are done by attorneys; however, under the law, they could be provided by paralegals under the supervision of an attorney.
Degrees & Certificates

Paralegal Studies – Certificate of Achievement
The Paralegal Studies Certificate of Achievement program provides the practical and technical instruction to meet the requirements of the California Business and Professions Code Section 6450.

Faculty & Staff
Full-Time Faculty | |
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Jerry Skomer Building P-216 Email: jskomer@peralta.edu 510-436-2539 |
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Linnea Willis Building P-216 Email: lwillis@peralta.edu 510-436-2539 |
Contact Information

Program Director
Linnea N. Willis
Building P-208/218
lwillis@peralta.edu
(510) 434-3936

Department Chair
Mildred L. Oliver
Building A-128
moliver@peralta.edu
(510) 434-3859
Dean of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
Dr. Chris Warren Foster
L123, (510) 436-2609
Denise Woodward
Staff Assistant
dwoodward@peralta.edu
(510) 436-2425

Apply Today!
Completing your application takes less than 30 minutes! We’ve created an application guide to help you quickly and easily complete the steps to apply and enroll.