Program Overview

Program Overview

The Paralegal Certificate program at Emory Continuing Education (ECE) is designed to prepare college graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in the legal profession. This comprehensive program, taught by experienced attorneys, consists of Introduction to Law, Civil Litigation, Legal Research & Writing, and Contract Law, totaling 75 classroom hours.

Program Details

• Duration: 4 months
• Cost: $3,795
• Time commitment: 75 hours
• Format: 100% online, with convenient evening and weekend formats
• Career development module: included to help students prepare for their job search

Learning Outcomes

After successfully completing this program, students will be able to:

• Identify the ethical duties imposed on attorneys and paralegals
• Distinguish between the federal and state court systems
• Define the terminology and rules of civil procedure
• Identify the trial process from beginning to end
• Draft a complaint and answer
• Create discovery documents for submission to opposing parties
• Identify and distinguish the differences between primary and secondary legal authority
• Conduct online research using Westlaw software
• Use proper Bluebook citation format for both primary and secondary legal authority
• Research primary authority and conduct legal analysis based on a given fact pattern
• Author a closed-legal memorandum
• Recognize what is required for a binding contract
• Gain practical skills in drafting and analyzing contracts
• Recognize when a party commits a breach of contract
• Compare available contract remedies

Certificate Requirements

To receive the certificate, students must:

• Earn a passing score of 75% or higher in each module

Prerequisites

This program is open only to students who have already completed a bachelor's degree (or verified foreign equivalent) or higher. There are no exceptions to this policy. No previous legal experience is necessary to join the program.

Required Textbooks

• Basic Civil Litigation 3e
• Legal Research: How to Find & Understand the Law 19e
• Basic Contract Law for Paralegals 10e

Career Outlook

The data on career outlook is sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Target Audience

The following types of people will benefit from this program:

• Students wishing to make a career change
• Students currently working as legal secretaries or assistants who want to expand their career options
• Students who are legal professionals in other countries and wish to work in the legal field in the U.S.
• Law students wishing to gain experience in the legal field

Legal Specialization Courses

Possible specializations include:

• Criminal Law
• E-Discovery
• Family Law
• Immigration Law
• Intellectual Property
• Medical Records and Terminology for the Legal Professional
• Real Estate Law
• Torts & Personal Injury Law
• Wills, Trusts, & Estates

Program Badge

Students will receive an official digital badge from Emory upon program completion, which can be displayed in online channels like LinkedIn.