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PARALEGAL CERTIFICATES

PARALEGAL CERTIFICATES. ONLINE At VERNON REGIONAL ADULT BASED EDUCATION. PARTNERSHIP WITH CLS.

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PARALEGAL CERTIFICATES

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  1. PARALEGAL CERTIFICATES ONLINE At VERNON REGIONAL ADULT BASED EDUCATION

  2. PARTNERSHIP 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. • CLS brings decades of experience in the delivery of online coursework with a focus on curriculum for the legal profession.

  3. MESSAGE 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).

  4. JOB 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.

  5. NEW 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.

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. PROGRAMREQUIREMENTS • 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

  9. PARALEGAL 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 assignments Click 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

  10. LEARNING 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

  11. ADVANCED PARALEGALCERTIFICATE • 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)

  12. ADVANCED PARALEGAL:ADVANCED 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 •Estate Planning •Real Property Law •Employment Law* *The Employment Law Topic will be offered beginning January 12, 2015.

  13. CLS 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.

  14. LOG-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.

  15. Granting 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 and/or Advanced Paralegal Certificate directly to the student.

  16. 2014-2015 COSTS • Paralegal Certificate •$1189* for 2 sessions of 7 weeks each, 14 weeks total •Approximately $350 for required books •$89 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) •$89 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. *Tuition is scheduled to increase effective January 1, 2015.Call (800) 522-7737 for details and pricing.

  17. 2014-2015 SCHEDULE • Sessions begin 6 times each year • 2014 Online Session: • 2014 Session 6: October 20 – December 5, 2014 • 2015 Online Sessions: • 2015 Session 1: January 12 – February 27, 2015 • 2015 Session 2: March 9 – April 24, 2015 • 2015 Session 3: May 4 – June 19, 2015 • 2015 Session 4: June 29 – August 14, 2015 • 2014 Session 5: August 24 – October 9, 2015

  18. CONTACTS Center for Legal Studies 800.522.7737 info@legalstudies.com

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