paralegal certificates online at vernon regional adult based education
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PARALEGAL PARALEGAL CERTIFICATESCERTIFICATES
ONLINEONLINE
At VERNON REGIONAL ADULT At VERNON REGIONAL ADULT BASED EDUCATIONBASED EDUCATION
PARTNERSHIP WITH CLSPARTNERSHIP WITH CLS
Vernon Regional Adult Based Education has partnered with a third party provider, The Center for Legal Studies (CLS), to deliver the online instruction for the Paralegal and Advanced Paralegal Certificates, Software Essentials for the Law Office and Personal Injury for Paralegals.
CLS brings decades of experience in the delivery of online coursework with a focus on curriculum for the legal profession.
MESSAGE FROM CLSMESSAGE FROM CLS
Since 1980, CLS has educated thousands of students through colleges and universities around the country who wish to pursue work as legal support professionals.
Programs are designed to meet the highest state requirement for working paralegals in the country, currently California (California Business and Professions Code § 6450).
JOB PROSPECTSJOB PROSPECTS
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, job projections for the paralegal profession continue to show faster-than-average employment growth.
Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of paralegals is expected to grow 28% between 2008 and 2018.
Findings show that the demand for paralegals is increasing as employers, in an effort to reduce costs, hire paralegals to perform tasks that have traditionally been carried out by attorneys.
NEW ONLINE OFFERINGSNEW ONLINE OFFERINGS Paralegal & Advanced Paralegal Certificates
•Students are trained to perform legal research and in the writing skills necessary to become
a successful paralegal.
•After completing both certificates, students who hold a bachelor’s degree in any subject may choose to take the voluntary NALA CLA
exam to receive the title of Certified Legal Assistant- Paralegal from the National Association of Legal Assistants.
Online Certificates (cont)Online Certificates (cont)
Software Essentials for the Law Office Certificate Students are given opportunity to improve their Students are given opportunity to improve their
skills and knowledge of commonly used computer skills and knowledge of commonly used computer technology and programs within the law officetechnology and programs within the law office
Hands on exercises will prepare students to work Hands on exercises will prepare students to work with MS PowerPoint, Practice Master’s Tabs 3, with MS PowerPoint, Practice Master’s Tabs 3, AbacusLaw, Summation iBlaze, Trial Director and AbacusLaw, Summation iBlaze, Trial Director and LexisNexis Casemap & TimeMap LexisNexis Casemap & TimeMap
Onlife Certificates (cont)Onlife Certificates (cont)
Personal Injury for Paralegals Certificate Students will become familiar with the legal
terms, causes of action, and remedies available to victims of personal injury accidents
Students will discuss interviewing, investigating and other case building techniques vital to a personal injury paralegal’s success in the law office
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
• Adult learners - as affordable and convenient credentialing options that meet their academic and job-seeking goals in a short span of time
• Current college students - students who need to fit this additional credentialing coursework into their regular credit-bearing course schedule during any academic semester
• Graduated college students - students who seek work in the legal profession even while pursuing graduate or law school
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?
The Certificate sessions are 14 weeks each and the Paralegal Certificate and Advanced Paralegal Certificate courses together provide a total of 360 clock hours of instruction.
Online participants should expect to spend at least 8-15 hours/week
• reading
• preparing and writing assignments
• preparing for and taking tests
PROGRAMPROGRAMREQUIREMENTSREQUIREMENTS
Students consent to a Course Use and Plagiarism Policy whereby they agree that they will submit only their own work and that they will cite additional sources used
Students must have access to the Internet
The Paralegal Certificate is the prerequisite for the Advanced Paralegal Certificate
PARALEGAL CERTIFICATEPARALEGAL CERTIFICATE
Complete 90 clock hours - gain an overview of the legal system, legal research, legal writing, civil procedure, ethics, criminal law, criminal procedure, criminal evidence, torts and contracts
Grades are based on:
• completion of weekly tests
• online participation forums
• writing assignmentsClick on the link below for a short video about the paralegal career
opportunities:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4B16n0SMTQ&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active
LEARNING OUTCOMESLEARNING OUTCOMES Locate commonly used legal reference materials
Explain how the sources of law research materials are used, their hierarchy, and the difference between primary, secondary, and finding tool resources
Identify and frame a simple legal issue; identify the facts that relate to it Conduct legal research using a computer-assisted legal research tool,
such as WESTLAW Articulate the parts of a well-written legal opinion and formal legal
memorandum and the purpose each serves Prepare a formal legal memorandum dealing with a simple legal issue Use citations in written legal material Articulate the significant differences between an objective
memorandum and persuasive writing Brief a case
ADVANCED PARALEGALADVANCED PARALEGALCERTIFICATECERTIFICATE
Complete 270 clock hours - choose six (6) required topics to build upon the Paralegal Certificate that is a prerequisite for the course
Specialized online classes extensively build upon the student’s knowledge of law and paralegal studies with content that focuses on specialized facets of contemporary law
Each course topic is offered in a 7-week online session, and students may take up to 3 topics per 7-week session (14 weeks total)
ADVANCED PARALEGAL:ADVANCED PARALEGAL:ADVANCED TOPICSADVANCED TOPICS
•Bankruptcy Law •Advanced Legal Research
•Victim Advocacy •Mediation and Other Forms of ADR
•Criminal Law •Business Law and Practices
•Family Law •Immigration Law
•Water Law •Education Law
•Criminal Procedure •Intellectual Property
•Real Property Law
•Estate Planning: Probate, Wills, and Trusts
•Constitutional Law and Civil Liberties
CLS INSTRUCTORSCLS INSTRUCTORS
Per contract with Vernon Regional Adult Based Education, The Center for Legal Studies hires instructors who are highly qualified attorneys and paralegals with years of relevant experience in the legal field.
Students have access via email to their CLS instructor throughout the online course.
LOG-IN/SUPPORTLOG-IN/SUPPORT
Students receive a personal course username and password via email from CLS at the start of each session
CLS posts six (6) online sessions throughout the year. Students may log into the CLS Web site to begin their courses at the start of any session and course content is available 24 hours a day for the duration of the course.
In addition to students having access via email to their CLS instructor throughout the online course, CLS provides ongoing administrative and technical support for students.
Granting of CertificateGranting of Certificate
Upon notification from The Center for Legal Studies (CLS) of a student’s successful completion of the requirements, Vernon Regional Adult Based Education awards the Paralegal Certificate, Advanced Paralegal Certificate, Software Essentials for the Law Office Certificate, and/or the Personal Injury for Paralegals Certificate directly to the student.
2012/2013 COSTS2012/2013 COSTS Paralegal Certificate
•$1189 for 2 sessions of 7 weeks each, 14 weeks total•Approximately $350 for required books•$75 for online WESTLAW legal research access
Advanced Paralegal Certificate•$1650 for 2 sessions of 3 topics each, each session is 7 weeks, 14 weeks total•Required books (minimal)•$75 for online WESTLAW legal research access
*Books/WESTLAW Access: Students order books and gain WESTLAW access by phone or online. Students may order books/WESTLAW access via their own resources or from the CLS Web site.
2012/2013 COSTS2012/2013 COSTS Software Essential for the Law Office
$729 Textbook Textbook Using Computers in the Law OfficeUsing Computers in the Law Office, 6, 6thth
Edition- $209Edition- $209 Personal Injury for Paralegals
$729 Textbook Textbook Personal Injury and the Law of Torts for Personal Injury and the Law of Torts for
ParalegalsParalegals, 2, 2ndnd edition- $119 edition- $119
2012/2013 SCHEDULE2012/2013 SCHEDULE
2012 Online Sessions October 15 – November 30, 2012
2013 Online Sessions Spring Session I January 14 – March 1, 2013 Spring Session II March 11 – April 26, 2013 Summer Session I May 6 – June 21, 2013 Summer Session II July 1 – August 16, 2013 Fall Session 1 October 26 – October 11, 2013
CONTACTSCONTACTS
Center for Legal StudiesCenter for Legal Studies
800.522.7737800.522.7737