Program Overview

Paralegal Certificate Program

The Paralegal Certificate program is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed as a paralegal or legal assistant. The program is taught by experienced attorneys and covers a range of topics, including legal research, writing, and procedure.

Program Details

• Duration: 11 months
• Format: Hybrid (online and on-site)
• Location: Arsht Hall, 2700 Pennsylvania Ave., Wilmington, Delaware (on-site classes) and live-online (online classes)
• Schedule: Mondays (live-online), Wednesdays (on-site), 6-9 p.m.
• Registration Deadline: August 26, 2026, 4:30 p.m.
• Price: $4,250 (textbooks additional)
• Discounts: Super Early Bird registration price ($3,612.50), Early registration discounted price ($3,825)
• Payment Plan: Available, with an estimated 25% down payment and 5 remaining payments
• Financial Assistance & Scholarships: Available, with details provided upon request
• CEUs: 23.4 (234 contact hours)

Course Outline

The program consists of six modules, each covering a different aspect of law and legal procedure. The modules are:

• Module 1: Introduction to Law for Paralegals
  • General concepts of law
  • The American system of law (constitutional, statutory, tort)
  • Court systems and procedures
  • Textbooks:
    • Introduction to Law for Paralegals, 5th edition, by Neal R. Bevans, Aspen Publishing
    • Black's Law Dictionary, pocket-size version of the latest edition (optional)
• Module 2: Legal Research and Writing
  • Reviewing the American legal system
  • Researching primary and secondary legal authority
  • Reviewing the rules of citation
  • Introducing research and writing strategies
  • Textbooks:
    • Legal Research and Writing for Paralegals, 10th Edition, by Deborah E. Bouchoux
    • The Bluebook – A Uniform System of Citation, 21st Edition
• Module 3: Civil Procedure
  • Fact investigation
  • Draft pleadings
  • Summary and control of documents and deposition transcripts
  • Pre-trial organization
  • Post-trial considerations
  • Textbook:
    • Civil Litigation, by Peggy Kerley, Joanne Banker-Hames, Paul A. Sukys, 8th Edition
• Module 4: Torts
  • General concepts
  • Preliminary issues
  • Strict liability
  • Product liability
  • Negligence
  • Defamation and related issues
  • Pertinent defenses and remedies to these torts
  • Textbook:
    • Tort Law for Paralegals, 7th Edition, by Neal R. Bevans, Aspen Publishers
• Module 5: Contract Law
  • How binding contracts are formed
  • Understanding contracts
  • Pitfalls that can make contracts invalid
  • Defenses that may allow a party to avoid having to fulfill obligations under a valid contract
  • Calculating damages for breaches of contract
  • Drafting typical clauses that appear in many contracts
  • Textbook:
    • Contract Law for Paralegals – Traditional and E-Contracts, by Kathleen Mercer Reed, Henry R. Cheeseman, John J. Schlageter III, 3rd Edition
• Module 6: Criminal Law and Procedure
  • General concepts
  • Homicide
  • Crimes against people
  • Crimes against property
  • Theft crimes
  • The respective defenses of the above areas
  • Textbook:
    • Criminal Law and Procedure, An Overview, by Daniel E. Hall, 8th Edition

Instructors

The program is taught by experienced attorneys, including:

• Rae Simonini Campagnola
• Hon. Loren Mitchell
• Whitney Frame
• William Leonard
• Patrick J. Smith

Learner Outcomes

The Paralegal Certificate program is designed to help students:

• Earn a valuable career credential as a paralegal
• Acquire new skills to advance in their position
• Learn from experienced attorneys in an established University program
• Complete their certificate in one year with evening study in a hybrid format (online plus on-site)

Career Resources

Participants enrolled in this certificate program will have access to a new suite of career resources and services to help them navigate a career transition, maximize their job search efforts, and more.

Prerequisites

• Basic computer knowledge and experience, including word processing and email
• Access to a computer, with a printer, that runs recent versions of word processing software, such as Microsoft Word, and an internet browser, such as Internet Explorer
• Laptop computer brought to each class

Testimonials

• "The paralegal program not only helped me get a job, but it set a fire under me to just continue on. It really helped me look at myself from a different perspective and see how the sacrifices I made paid off tenfold. My salary has increased and I am able to take care of my family. It was such a great experience and it took me out of my shell." - Katie Eide
• "Once I started the program, I knew it was where I belonged and have been doing it ever since." - Sandra Kece
• "Pretty much everything I learned in the classes has really helped me out in my job on a daily basis." - Will Simons
• "One of the best features of UD's Paralegal Certificate is the instructors, all of whom actively practice law." - Elizabeth Romero
• "I felt that the program had prepared me to consider a wide range of opportunities in the legal field." - Jill Prettyman Demmy
• "It made practical sense to enroll in the program to become familiar with legal terminology and concepts within the context of the Delaware legal system." - Carmen Jordan-Cox