PACE NONCREDIT COURSE:
Certified Paralegal (Voucher Included)
Areas of Study
Course Type
Overview
Hours: 225
Paralegals play a vital role in the legal profession. These qualified professionals take on a variety of tasks ranging from legal research to drafting legal documents in traditional law office settings and in the corporate, government, and public arenas. Formal training is a critical part of preparing for a career as a paralegal.
The Paralegal course will help you gain the skills you need to enter the paralegal workforce. You will learn how to conduct legal research and legal interviews, how to perform legal analyses, and more. As you prepare for your paralegal career, you will also receive soft skills training to increase workplace effectiveness. The course concludes with a capstone project and a portfolio review. You will first create a complete litigation file that includes: a legal analysis brief, an investigative report, client interview checklist, intake memo, complaint, legal research, and interoffice memorandum of law. Then, you will learn how to create a strong resume that encompasses your specialized skill set and showcases the impact you would make for your next employer.
Through a partnership with the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA), you will also receive membership and access to NALA’s Certified Paralegal (CP) Exam Review courses should you choose to take the NALA CP exam.
This course offers enrollment with or without a voucher. The voucher is prepaid access to sit for the Certified Paralegal exam through the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) upon eligibility. Proctor fees may apply, which are not included.
Curriculum
Syllabus
- Paralegal in the Legal System
- Paralegal Employment
- On-the-Job Realities
- Regulation of Paralegals
- Attorney and Paralegal Ethics
- Introduction to the Legal System
- Introduction to Legal Analysis
- Legal Interviewing
- Investigation in a Law Office
- Litigation Management
- Legal Research 101
- Advanced Legal Research
- Legal Writing
- Introduction to the Use of Computers
- Introduction to Law Office Administration
- Tort Law, Product Liability, and Consumer Law
- Contracts, Insurance, and Property Law
- Estates and Family Law
- Laws Affecting Business
- Criminal Law
- Capstone
Course Requirements
Requirements: Hardware Requirements: Software Requirements: Other: Instructional Material Requirements: The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment. The following textbooks will be shipped to you approximately 7-10 business days after enrollment: The following eBook will be provided to you approximately 7-10 business days after enrollment: Please note: You will receive a digital book if the physical book is on backorder. Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites to take this course. However, you will need a high school diploma or GED equivalent to start a career as a paralegal. It is also recommended that you have basic computer skills, including proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite and fundamental keyboarding skills. A strong grasp of English grammar conventions, such as spelling, punctuation, and composition, is also recommended. To meet the eligibility requirements to sit for the NALA Certified Paralegal exam, you must meet one of the following requirements: You must have 60 semester hours, of which at least 15 hours* (225 clock hours) are from paralegal studies or hold an associate’s degree in paralegal studies, or a bachelor’s degree in any field, or have seven years of experience as a legal assistant under the supervision of a member of the Bar. Please review the exam requirements before enrolling in this course. *Note: (15 semester hours = 225 clock hours) – This course is 225 hours and can be combined with 45 semester hours to meet the 60 semester hours required in option 1(e). If you do not have 45 semester hours, you will need to meet eligibility with category 2 or 3) Exam Requirements: You must meet one of the following requirements outlined in Categories 1, 2, or 3 at the time of filing an application form to be eligible for the CP certification exam through NALA. 1. Graduation from or completion of a paralegal program: (Candidates applying under Category 1(e) may combine college hours from more than one institution. The candidate must have graduated from a paralegal program consisting of a minimum of 15 semester hours (or 225 clock hours or 22.5 quarter hours.) Evidence of the minimum hours required under Category 1(e) must be provided with the application form.) 2. A bachelor’s degree in any field plus one year of experience as a paralegal or successful completion of at least 15 semester hours (or equivalent quarter hours) of substantive paralegal courses. (Those applying under the provision allowing for additional course work in lieu of the one-year work experience must submit an official school transcript showing completed course work.) 3. A high school diploma or equivalent plus seven (7) years’ experience as a legal assistant/paralegal plus a minimum of twenty (20) hours of continuing legal education completed within a two-year period prior to application for the examination. (Evidence of continuing legal education credit is documented by the attorney/employer attestation that must be signed as part of the application form or by submitting a certificate of completion of CLE taken.)
