Post Bacc Programs in Legal Paralegal

Paralegals and legal assistants perform a variety of tasks such as assisting lawyers, conducting legal research, managing and organizing files, and making document drafts. These professionals usually work for corporate legal departments, law firms, and various federal agencies. Various certificates in Post Bacc Programs in Legal Paralegal studies are offered. The post Bacc program is designed for those who already have a bachelor’s degree. This program also includes a review course which prepares certificate holders to sit for the certified legal assistant or certified paralegal examination.

The post bacc program is different from a graduation degree program in which students receive a certification which allows them to go on to the next phase of their legal education or career. The program is usually of a short duration. It also enables students from other career fields to switch to the field of legal services.

The certificate program may be offered in different formats: full-day schedules, part-time evening schedules, or online schedules. An increasing number of online institutes are offering post bacc programs in legal paralegal studies. These programs come with certain benefits to students that are not offered by traditional campus-based programs:

• Online programs provide a convenient and flexible learning schedule which means    students can fulfill their work and other commitments at the same time
• Online programs allow students to study at their own pace
• Online programs are much less expensive than campus-based programs due to the low cost of online education.

Program requirements

The exact admission requirements may vary between programs. However, the program usually requires graduates with at least a bachelor’s degree from a regionally or nationally accredited college or university. Applicants may also be required to maintain a minimum overall grade point average of 2.0. Some universities may also require applicants to meet certain computer or information literacy competency requirements.

Curriculum

The program curriculum usually constitutes of core and elective courses in paralegal studies. They may include the following topics:

• Ethics & professionalism
• Civil law
• Pre trial litigation
• Commercial law
• Legal research
• Trial and post trial litigation
• Legal technology
• Introduction to special education law
• Legal writing
• Corporate and business law
• Computers and the law
• Family law
• Personal injury
• Intellectual property
• Immigration law
• Real estate
• Advanced civil procedure
• Advance research and writing

The above mentioned curriculum may be typical for many programs. However, it may vary by different degrees between schools. For exact details of the program you wish to enroll in, consult your admissions counselor.

Career Outlook

The median annual salary of paralegals and legal assistants was $46,990 in May 2012 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Also, the employment of these professionals is projected to grow at a rate of 17% from 2012 to 2022 which faster than the average for all occupations. This is because law firms will continue to increase their efficiency in future by hiring more paralegal professionals.