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Paralegal Studies

Background

The Kenya School of Law is an institution established under the Kenya School of Law Act, No 26 of 2012. In exercise of its mandate the School wishes to establish and offer a Diploma in Law (Paralegal) Studies programme.

It is envisaged that this programme will bridge the existing gap in a middle cadre to support legal professionals at the practicing Bar, the corporate world and government institutions.

Justification and Needs Assessment

The School embarked on a needs assessment in paralegal services. This was based on an earlier certificate course that ran between 2000-2003 at the School. That programme was stopped for lack of a policy and regulatory framework. About 600 students had gone through that programme and interviews with them and other stakeholders indicate that there is need to urgently reintroduce the programme at a more advanced level.

It is against this background that the School introduced the Diploma in Law (Paralegal Studies) to serve among others the Kenya Police, Kenya Prisons, the Judiciary, the State Law Office, the Bar and Government departments among other stakeholders.

Location

The Paralegal program is conducted at the Kenya School of Law town campus which is situated at Development House, 5th Floor, Moi Avenue Nairobi.

Duration and Pattern of the Programme

The programme shall last for a minimum period of two (2) academic years comprising of three (3) terms of lectures offered by the School in each year.

To qualify for the award of the Diploma in Law (Paralegal Studies), candidates must complete the course of studying not less than two (2) academic years and not more than three (3) academic years.

The course shall be offered in terms of specific subjects in law and related disciplines. The programme consists of twenty four (24) subjects.

Summary of Subjects

Year 1
  1. Computer Applications and ICT I
  2. Introduction to Law & Legal Systems
  3. Elements of Contract Law
  4. Elements of Property Law
  5. Communication Skills
  6. Elements of Commercial Law
  7. General Principles of Constitutional Law
  8. Conveyancing
  9. Elements of Law of Business Associations
  10. Elements of Criminal Law
  11. Family Law
  12. Civil Procedure
Year 2
  1. Law of Succession
  2. Law of Torts
  3. Criminal Procedure
  4. Fundamentals of Office Practice and Management
  5. Fundamentals of Book-Keeping and Accounting
  6. Introduction to Alternative Dispute Resolution
  7. Introduction to Human Rights
  8. Introduction to Environmental Law
  9. Ethics and Professionalism
  10. Employment Law
  11. Records Management
  12. Introduction to Legal Research and Writing
  13. Attachment

Examinations shall be conducted either at the Kenya School of Law or an accredited Centre and in both cases shall be supervised by the School.

All subjects shall be examined during the term in which they are taken. Such examinations shall be named ordinary examinations.

Examinations shall consist of continuous assessment tests and end of term examinations.

Continuous assessment tests shall account for 30% of the total mark in the subject, and the end of term examination constituting 70% of the total mark in the subject.

No candidate shall be admitted to an end of term examination unless the candidate attended at least two thirds of the course of study for the subject in question. Such candidate shall be deemed to have failed the unit and shall be required to repeat the unit.

All units shall be graded out of 100 marks and the pass mark shall be 50%. The mark grade shall be translated into letter grades as follows:- - 70% and above - A
- 60% and below - 70% B
- 50% and below - 60% C
- Below 50% - E

Where a student fails in any subject, he may resit the end of term exam when the subject is next offered. Such a student will have to score at least 35 out of 70 marks in the written examination to pass the course.

Examination Irregularities

A student who is alleged to have been involved in any examination irregularity as defined in the School Examination Regulations will have his/her examination results withheld until a verdict is arrived at by the School Disciplinary Committee.

A student who is found guilty of any examination irregularity shall be subject to the appropriate penalties as detailed in School Examination Regulations and shall not proceed with the course of study until the matter is conclusively resolved.

Certification and Award

To be considered for the award of the Diploma in Paralegal Studies, a candidate must have taken and passed in all the prescribed twenty-four (24) subjects together with attachment.