Continuing education classes for paralegals are offered through national organizations, local state chapters, universities, and even online. The National Business Institute, for example, offers a short training seminar—The Paralegal’s Guide to Deadlines and Calendaring.
A certificate program in paralegal studies is all that’s standing between you and the paralegal career you want, and that’s exactly why these programs exist: They provide a focused education in paralegal core subjects like legal research and writing and various areas of law without any extra general education coursework.
No paralegal wants to bear the responsibility of an attorney in their firm getting hit with a malpractice case, so accurate and diligent calendaring is always something that weighs heavy on the mind of paralegals. Gabrielle told us that her boss often says… ‘Just about every mistake we make is fixable except for calendars.
You will also learn the basics of law office management, substantive law (such as criminal law, domestic relations, real property law, and bankruptcy), and informal and formal advocacy. Successful completion of Paralegal I. The second half of the course builds on the skills learned in Paralegal I.
Four Essentials for Keeping Deadlines in a Law FirmThe right tools will keep you focused and on track.Set spaced reminder dates. ... Review and Close Cases. ... Facts of the case: The best clients provide their attorneys with a lot of information — but this always needs to be reviewed and verified.More items...•
The Legal Assistant is an all-inclusive legal software program designed for paralegals, legal assistants, and other legal staff. The Legal Assistant is a versatile software that benefits and excels in many areas of law.
306-hourOur 306-hour program is approved by the American Bar Association. Courses in the Paralegal Studies Certificate Program are taught by practicing attorneys and judges who understand the current legal trends and issues.
A bachelor's degree or higher in any subject AND a minimum of one year of experience working under an attorney with a minimum of three years of experience in California law. In most cases, completing an ABA approved paralegal program in California will take between 18 to 24 months.
Lawyers, and especially paralegals, use Excel for a range of operational and project specific processes. Yet sometimes this program does not get the respect it deserves. Many paralegals use Excel all the time.
Here are some of the most important skills paralegal students who want an excellent career should develop:Prioritizing. The ability to multitask is a skill paralegals must hone. ... Thinking Ahead. ... Communication. ... Writing. ... Researching. ... Technology. ... Organization/Flexibility. ... Teamwork.More items...•
Graduate of an ABA-approved paralegal program. Graduate of an institutionally approved paralegal program that includes at least 60 semester credits. Graduate of a paralegal program plus six months of in-house paralegal training. Bachelor's degree in any field plus six months of in-house paralegal training.
Paralegal duties would typically involve preparing legal documents, research, admin, providing quotes to clients, interviewing clients and witnesses, giving clients legal information, going to court and handling a caseload of clients.
*Hofstra University is currently pursuing accreditation of its educator preparation programs by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP)....Academic Accreditations.Accredited by:American Bar Association (ABA)Law31 more rows
Some California paralegals may voluntarily pursue official certification, although it is not required by the state. Typically, you would become a certified paralegal through the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA). NALA certification can help to improve your career prospects.
Here are the 30 highest paying paralegal jobs:Paralegal Manager. $104,775. ... Legal Project Manager. $87,375. ... Intellectual Property Paralegal. $86,800. ... Nurse Paralegal. $82,687. ... Employment and Labor Law Paralegal. $80,685. ... Government Paralegal. $78,478. ... Senior Paralegal. $69,995. ... Corporate Paralegal. $66,134.More items...
27.22 per hourAccording to 2020 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), legal assistants/paralegals earn an average salary of $56,610 per year ($27.22 per hour).
This class is an introduction to the court system and the many types of research tools and methods used in a law office. Students study the law lib...
History and nature of law, with emphasis placed on the role of the paralegal. Introductory survey of substantive and procedural law. Relationships...
Students learn the principles of criminal accountability and the constitutional and procedural protections provided to an accused person. The cours...
Civil jurisprudence and investigative techniques are studied in this class. Throughout the course, students learn to combine an understanding of ba...
Theory of this subject is understood by utilizing the code and textual material. The law of Wills is studied, and students learn to produce a writt...
Students study various forms of business organizations and laws affecting business organizations. Subjects covered include sole proprietorships, pa...
In this course, students gain a basic understanding of legal protection given to works of authorship, trade secrets, trademarks, and patents. Stude...
This course covers the specific computer applications and techniques utilized in today’s modern law office. Students learn the function and utility...
This demanding course is designed to prepare students for the rigors of civil litigation. Course topics include post discovery motions and pleas, a...
This course further develops the research and writing skills learned in LAW 1300 Legal Research and Writing. Students conduct more detailed legal r...
Ethical issues, such as attorney advertising, unauthorized practice of law, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, and other practical aspects of et hics are covered.
Subjects covered include sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, limited liability companies, and the law of agency. Students learn to prepare documents necessary. to create each form of business organization including the incorporation of business.
Externships are designed to give each student practical, on-the-job experience by working with an attorney, judge, legal department of a corporation, or other law-related business. Students learn to apply the skills and knowledge obtained in the classroom to everyday situations, resulting in an equally beneficial relationship between a student extern and his or her supervisor. Externships are offered during a student’s final term. (0/0/96/2)
This advanced civil discovery course is designed for students to learn and apply current e-Discovery concepts and procedures required in modern civil discovery and complex litigation. Legal disputes increasingly require the collection and analysis of electronically stored information (ESI) as part of the discovery phase of litigation, and corporations must meet certain electronic information requirements to mitigate risk and expense. In this course, students learn to apply the Electronic Data Reference Model (EDRM) to properly manage the various stages of e-Discovery including information management, identification, preservation and collection, review and analysis, production and presentation. Students will learn to use e-Discovery software and tools and apply this understanding to real world case scenarios through projects requiring the application of case management systems. Students also demonstrate knowledge of case law relating to e-Discovery issues in various projects and assignments. 45/3/0/3#N#Prerequisites: LAW1307 Civil Procedure and LAW1300 Legal Research and Writing
Throughout the course, students learn to combine an understanding of basic legal principles with an ethical approach to investigations. Emphasis is placed on the use of public resources for the various types of investigations which students will encounter in actual practice after graduation. (45/3/0/3)
There are a myriad of tools for paralegals to use to ensure there are no scheduling conflicts or missed deadlines in their calendaring duties, including virtual apps that create a master calendar for both the attorney and paralegal to view, and calendars that sync with smart phones.
We had the opportunity to speak with Gabrielle Crisp, who has worked as a paralegal for three years. During that time she has had plenty of experience in calendaring and keeping track of dates, as she had previously worked as a personal assistant. Despite her experience working in a high-stress position, Gabrielle said that “it took me six months ...
No paralegal wants to bear the responsibility of an attorney in their firm getting hit with a malpractice case, so accurate and diligent calendaring is always something that weighs heavy on the mind of paralegals.
The course is 100% online, offers flexible deadlines, and takes about 1-3 hours per week for 28 weeks. Online Course Website.
Intellectual Property Law is a free online course offered by Penn via the website Coursera. It’s perfect for the paralegal working in or interested in intellectual property. This intermediate-level course covers:
Corporate & Commercial Law I: Contracts & Employment Law is the first part of a free online course offered by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It’s available via Coursera. This intermediate-level course is ideal for paralegals working in firms dealing with contracts and employment law. By the end of the course, participants will be able to identify the different legal principles governing various business situations and to apply those principles to an issue. The course is 100% online and offers flexible deadlines. It takes approximately 23 hours to complete.#N#Online Course Website
Creative Problem Solving is a free online course offered by University of Minnesota via Coursera. It’s ideal for anyone who must think critically, including paralegals. This helpful online class uses:
An Introduction to American Law is a free online course offered by University of Pennsylvania via Coursera. It’s perfect for those considering or just beginning their career as a paralegal. This beginner-level online class provides students with an introduction to six important areas of American law:
Logic is an important skill for anyone working in the field of law, and that makes this free online course a must-do for any paralegal. It’s offered by Stanford University via Coursera. Introduction to Logic introduces students to:
Paralegal certification programs prepare students to work as legal assistants providing administrative and research skills, often by working directly with attorneys to prepare for meetings and trials. Those who complete paralegal certification programs are then able to sit for the necessary examination to work in this field.
Paralegal training programs teach the basics of various areas of law, including concentrations in areas as far-reaching as real estate, business law, civil litigation, and personal injury, among others.
The paralegal certification program from Widener University is one of the more flexible options in higher education. Students can complete the program in one 14-week summer course or complete it across two semesters of traditional academic education. Students can start at the beginning of any of the three semesters.
The Hofstra University paralegal studies program offers a fast path towards obtaining certification in five months while offering a range of courses to choose from that are available online during the day and at night.
Unlike other programs with short completion times, the Hofstra University paralegal program offers a much lower cost point at $6,495. It doesn't offer as much support from staff, however, and has fewer specialization options, but students who want a fully online program may appreciate this program.
As one of the best online paralegal programs, the Hofstra University program has much to offer students already working in the field. Students must have 60 college credits or an associate degree to complete this path. Many students attend school and work while completing this program given the day and evening class options, all online.
Students learn how to research and write for a legal audience while also learning how to use paralegal technology and research tools. Most programs also teach students administrative and critical skills to allow them to develop contracts, interview individuals, and complete client inquiries.
The only requirement for admission into these programs is a high school diploma or GED, which is why they are often referred to as ‘entry-level’ certificate programs. You won’t find any general education courses or other requirements beyond courses targeted at the paralegal profession.
Paralegals with a bachelor’s or master’s degree who want to specialize in a particular area of law.
A basic pre-degree undergraduate certificate in paralegal studies will take you less than a year. An associate’s degree in paralegal studies OR in a related field along with an accompanying certificate in paralegal studies that you earn concurrently will take you about 2 years.
An academic certificate is an education program offered through hundreds of different schools and is your passport to becoming a paralegal. Once you complete a paralegal certificate program, you are said to be certificated.
In fact, many paralegals will tell you that it’s actually their second or even third career. For career changers with a degree in any other area, it’s only natural to build off the existing undergraduate education with the kind of focused education a post-degree paralegal certificate provides. FIND SCHOOLS.
It is also common for schools to require candidates to submit letters of recommendation and resumes and to sit for personal interviews. Similar to other paralegal certificate programs, many of these courses appeal to the working professional by offering flexible, online courses.
Since the ABA maintains that an associate’s is the minimum education required to enter the field as a competent paralegal, the organization does not grant approval to undergraduate certificates not offered as post-degree programs.
Some best practices for law office calendaring include having concrete rules in place for: Calendaring events listed on docket sheets received from the Court. When you work in a busy law office, you might receive several notices from the Court each day about new filings, deadlines, and scheduled hearings.
According to the American Bar Association (“ABA”), roughly 13% of malpractice claim errors are related to improper calendaring (See The Most Common Legal Malpractice Claims by Types of Alleged Error ). If you’ve worked as a paralegal for very long you have almost certainly missed a deadline and your boss has probably missed a hearing or two as well. It happens. But it doesn’t have to. Good calendar management takes the right calendaring software and a proven system for tracking appointments, deadlines, and court appearances – and you can have both by the end of the day!
Everyone in the office should know whose responsibility synchronizing the calendars is, when it should be done, and who will do if the elected person is out of the office on any given day.
You can share one calendar or match up individual calendars throughout the day. 2. Google Calendars. Google allows users to create several different calendars, share them with others, set reminders, color code events, invite guests, and sync calendars with mobile devices.
Anyone who calculates and calendars a deadline should include their initials in the entry, so that everyone can be held accountable for their math and calendar entries. Scheduling appointments with clients, potential clients, and other attorneys.
We asked 6,724 job seekers about their Paralegal Certificate. This is what they told us:
We asked 6,724 job seekers about their Paralegal Certificate. This is what they told us: