Paralegal Program
The Paralegal program at Greenville Technical College is approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) and primarily taught by licensed attorneys in good standing in South Carolina. Many of our courses are project-oriented and offer hands-on experience, including litigation, title examination, and legal research.
Unauthorized Practice of Law (UPL) Statement: Paralegals work under the supervision of a licensed attorney and are not authorized to practice law in South Carolina (S.C. Code § 40-5-310).
Paralegal graduates may find positions in
- Law firms
- Corporate legal departments
- Government offices
- Insurance companies
- Mortgage departments
Lawyers delegate many tasks to the paralegals who assist them with their work, which may include helping to prepare for real estate closings, interviews, hearings, mediation, trials and corporate meetings, and draft discovery, correspondence, and pleadings.
National Outlook
Information available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics provides a good national overview of the paralegal profession.
Local Opportunities
Learn about real-time job openings and salary information through Career Coach.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN THE PROGRAM
- The ethical requirements of a paralegal
- Professional oral and written communication skills
- A broad legal knowledge
- The use of technology and professional skills needed to assist an attorney
- This program is approved by the American Bar Association (ABA), is an institutional member of the American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE) and is a sustaining member of the South Carolina Upstate Paralegal Association (SCUPA).
- Greenville Technical College's Paralegal program receives guidance on current industry trends from an advisory board. This impressive group of volunteers represents a variety of areas within the field, helping to ensure that our graduates are well-prepared for employment.
Professional Organizations
- American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE)
- American Bar Association
- Greenville County Bar Association
- National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA)
- South Carolina Bar Association
- South Carolina Upstate Paralegal Association (SCUPA)
Greenville Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate and baccalaureate degrees. Contact the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call (404) 679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Greenville Technical College.
An accelerated one-year track to completion of the Paralegal program is available to those who already hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. This reduces the required number of credit hours to 46, instead of the 64 credit hours needed for completing the traditional Paralegal Associate Degree in Applied Science.
Paralegal
Associate in Applied Science
This program will train students to perform factual research, legal research, conduct interviews and to review, analyze and draft documents. The Paralegal Associate in Applied Science, (AAS.LEG) requires 64 credit hours and takes about five semesters. The Associate Degree is also available to students with a bachelor's degree (AAS.LEG.APLA) on a fast-track which requires about 43 credit hours and can be completed in 12 months.
For general program information, please call (864) 250-8162.
Department Head
Nancy M. Sutton, J.D.
(864) 250-8491
Nancy.Sutton@gvltec.edu
Instructor
John Bell, Esq.
(864) 250-8053
John.Bell@gvltec.edu
Administrative Assistant
Vickie Maxwell
(864) 250-8162
Vickie.Maxwell@gvltec.edu
CONTACT US
Department Head
Nancy M. Sutton, J.D.
(864) 250-8491
Nancy.Sutton@gvltec.edu