CODE OF CONDUCT AS A PARALEGAL INTERN AND STUDENT OF HACC

YOUR LEGAL CAREER BEGINS NOW.  Your conduct and professional appearance in this course particularly and throughout your studies at HACC will be noted by your paralegal professors and your internship provider, who might also serve as references for other internships and for future employment.  Potential employers are looking for competent employees who are punctual, courteous, and attentive to detail.  Students who approach their internship in a diligent and professional manner can be expected to approach their employment in a similar manner.  Appropriate, professional conduct includes the following:

1. Arrive ON TIME AND PREPARED.  Have all necessary materials and be appropriately dressed for an office.  Be prepared to begin at the assigned time.  

2. No cell phone use or text messaging during work.  Cell phones should be turned off during work unless the internship provider allows otherwise. NEVER bring your cell phone to the courthouse.  

3. The student must notify the internship provider of any absence prior to the occurrence of such absence and the intern is responsible for making proper arrangements for making up missed work with the internship provider.  

4. When using e-mail to correspond with professors or with internship providers or other professionals, the student will use proper format, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.  DO NOT use instant messaging shorthand, vulgar or slang language.  Identify yourself in each e-mail by signing your name; do not assume that the recipient will recognize you by your e-mail address.

5. Address each instructor as “Professor” unless permitted to do otherwise.  Always address attorneys as “Mr.,” “Ms.,” or “Attorney.”  Always address judges as “Judge.”

6. Remember that internship providers are not there to give the intern specific legal advice based upon individual circumstances.  Avoid inappropriate self-disclosure of information of a personal or private nature.

At some point in the future you will probably ask your internship provider to serve as a reference when you apply for a job. Most lawyers prefer if they can get a reference from someone they know so your internship provider’s word could be very valuable. Use the time you will be spending in the provider’s office wisely, be on your best behavior and most importantly learn as much as you can. The internship provider is generally a person who wants to help the ‘up and coming’ in the law profession get a foothold because they were once helped in the same way. It is their way of giving back and the internship provider is giving more to you than they are getting from you.   Be appreciative of that and take advantage of what they are offering you – a chance to learn and make mistakes without fear of being fired!  A chance to enrich your professional self and increase your value as a future employee by being able to add experience to your resume.

PARALEGALS MAY NOT PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICES DIRECTLY TO THE PUBLIC, EXCEPT AS PERMITTED BY LAW.