Program Overview

Paralegal Studies - Litigation and Corporate Practice Certificate

The Paralegal Studies - Litigation and Corporate Practice Certificate is designed for students who wish to earn specialized credentials in both litigation and corporate practice. This certificate requires completion of a total of 28 semester credits.

Overview

This certificate combines the requirements of the Litigation Practice and Corporate Practice certificates and is designed for students who wish to earn specialized credentials in both subject areas.

Admission Criteria

Certificate applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and have a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale.

Curriculum

The Dual Litigation and Corporate Practice Certificate in Paralegal Studies requires the successful completion of 14 courses (28 semester hours). Each course is two credit hours.

• Paralegal Core:
  • PLST 331: Introduction to Paralegal Studies
  • PLST 332: Legal Research and Writing I
  • PLST 333: Legal Research and Writing II
  • PLST 335: Legal Ethics
  • PLST 345: Law Office Computer Applications
• Dual Certificate Core:
  • PLST 340: Civil Litigation I
  • PLST 341: Civil Litigation II
  • PLST 342: Litigation Technology & eDiscovery
  • PLST 362: Business Organizations
  • PLST 363: Contract Administration & Analysis
  • PLST 339: Secured Transactions and Bankruptcy
• Elective Courses:
  • Select three of the following:
    • PLST 334: Legal Analysis: Practical Applications
    • PLST 343: Real Estate Transactions I
    • PLST 344: Real Estate Transactions II
    • PLST 346: Advanced Litigation Technology
    • PLST 348: Advanced Online Research Skills
    • PLST 349: Torts
    • PLST 350: Medical Malpractice
    • PLST 351: Intellectual Property: Patents and Trade Secrets
    • PLST 352: Intellectual Property: Trademarks and Copyrights
    • PLST 353: Securities Regulation
    • PLST 355: Estates, Trusts & Wills
    • PLST 357: Family Law
    • PLST 358: Criminal Law and Litigation
    • PLST 359: Environmental Law
    • PLST 360: Employment Law
    • PLST 361: Immigration Law
    • PLST 368: Corporate Compliance Topics
    • PLST 398: Internship
    • Any other course for which the student qualifies

Suggested Sequence of Courses

The Institute for Paralegal Studies provides a high-touch advising model to accommodate the professional experience and educational goals of each individual student. The Director will work directly with students to determine an appropriate sequence of courses starting at admission into their respective program based on their needs and career goals.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the certificate, students will be able to:

• Prepare summaries of court decisions, statutes, and administrative regulations.
• Develop legal arguments using court decisions, statutes, and administrative regulations.
• Locate relevant legal sources from federal and state jurisdictions.
• Apply paralegal and attorney code of ethics to situations typically encountered by paralegals.
• Demonstrate intermediate competence using typical office software including Word, Excel, Adobe, and PowerPoint.
• Draft court pleadings and maintain case files and databases.
• Collect and organize information through investigation and the discovery process.
• Help prepare the case for trial, and often assist attorneys at trial by coordinating the case material.
• Assist attorneys who work for corporate clients document the organization and operation of business entities.
• Retrieve information to conduct due diligence procedures for commercial and real estate transactions.
• Draft contract provisions and coordinate the administrative process for contracts.
• Help clients in regulated industries demonstrate compliance with government regulations.