The Paralegal Associate of Technical Arts (ATA) Degree program is approved by the American Bar Association (ABA), which demonstrates a paralegal programs high educational standards and consistency and is preferred by many legal employers nationwide. The ABA defines a paralegal as a person, qualified by education, training or work experience, who is employed or retained by an attorney, law office, corporation, governmental agency, or other entity, and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which an attorney is responsible. Paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law.The Paralegal Associate of Technical Arts Degree program is a job-training degree designed for students who intend to pursue immediate employment as a paralegal upon graduation. Students pursuing this degree have not earned a four-year baccalaureate degree (BA), nor do they intend to earn one in the future. Graduates from this program will receive an ABA-approved professional degree recognizing their achievement in specialized paralegal training. This degree is not intended to transfer to a four-year college or university, although many courses may still transfer.