Paralegal Certificate Course©
Achieving Excellence in Legal Education Since 1980
About Course

The Paralegal Certificate Course© is the cornerstone of The Center for Legal Studies programs and paralegalism is one of the fastest growing careers in the country.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the number of paralegal to increase 62% by 2008, making it the sixth fastest growing occupation in the country.

The national average salary for paralegals is currently $39,130.00/Year and freelance paralegal professionals average significantly more across the board.

The Paralegal Certificate Course© is available in a variety of formats to suit your schedule and is offered through colleges and universities nationwide. Successful graduates will receive a professional certificate from the college or university of their choice. Please check the course schedule to find a school near you.

Course Schedule

This course and other Center for Legal Studies courses are available for college credit and may be used to earn an A.A. or B.S.B.A. Degree with an emphasis in Legal Studies.

Please call 1-800-522-7737 or email info@legalstudies.com for more information.

The Paralegal Certificate Course is offered in the following formats:

Live Lecture Format

This intensive, nationally acclaimed program is designed for beginning as well as advanced legal workers.

Online Format

The Center for Legal Studies features in an online format the same Paralegal Certificate Course© that has been offered for over twenty-seven years at colleges and universities throughout the nation. Through your computer, this course is available to students who, because of location or schedule conflicts, are unable to attend the popular live lectures.

  • Syllabus
  • Review the material as many times as necessary for full retention of the information.
  • Students benefit from direct interaction with the instructor and other students by way of email and a discussion board.
  • Online course is available virtually anytime, in the comfort and privacy of your home or office.
  • Students have 14 weeks to complete the online course (7 weeks for paralegal I and 7 weeks for paralegal II). Students must complete both Paralegal 1 and Paralegal 2 to be awarded a Certificate. (California paralegals may need to complete Advanced Paralegal course work to meet the requirements of California Business and Professional Code §6450. Please click here for more information.)
  • Students e-mail assignments and exams
  • Schools offering the Online format - Schedule and Costs
  • Required textbooks for the Online course are Paralegal Procedures and Practices, Paralegal Career for Dummies, with CD of Forms, by Scott and Lisa Hatch, Basics of Legal Document Preparation, by Robert R. Cummins, Introduction to Paralegalism, 6th Edition, by William Statsky,and the Federal Civil Rules Booklet.
  • Order Books Online
  • College credits are available through Adams State College and Colorado State University Pueblo.
  • Once registered, your password and access information will be sent in time for the start of class.
  • Financial Aid Information
DVD, VHS, Audio, & Text-only Formats

The Center for Legal Studies features on DVD, VHS videotape, audio, or text-only formats the same Paralegal Certificate Course© that has been offered for over twenty-seven years at colleges and universities throughout the nation. Through your DVD player, VCR, or your computer, this course is available to students who, because of location or schedule conflicts, are unable to attend the popular live lectures.

  • Introduction and syllabus
  • College credits are available through Adams State College and Colorado State University Pueblo.
  • Take course on your time in the comfort and privacy of your home or office.
  • Students mail or fax assignments and take-home exams
  • Review the material as many times as necessary for full retention of the information.
  • Questions can be directed to the instructor via a toll-free number.
  • Twenty-nine (29) hours of a recorded live lecture! (For DVD, VHS, and audiocassette formats only)
  • California paralegals may need to complete Advanced Paralegal coursework to meet the requirements of California Business and Professional Code §6450. Please click here for more information.
  • Students have a maximum of 6 months to complete Paralegal I and 6 months to complete Paralegal II (12 months total).
  • Schools offering the Independent Study format - Schedule and Costs
  • Required textbooks for the VHS, Audio, and DVD formats are Paralegal Career for Dummies, with CD of Forms, Paralegal Procedures and Practices, A Paralegal Primer, by Scott and Lisa Hatch, the Federal Civil Rules Booklet, and your state rules of civil procedure and are available for approximately $170. Please call 800-522-7737 for exact prices and to order, or visit our online store.
  • Required textbooks for the Text-only format are Basics of Legal Document Preparation, A Paralegal Primer 3rd Edition, Paralegal Procedures and Practices, Introduction to Paralegalism 6th Ed., and Federal Civil Rules, and are available for approximately $347. Please call 800-522-7737 for exact prices and to order, or visit our online store.
  • Order Books Online
  • Financial Aid Information

The Instructor of the VHS, Audio, DVD, or Text-only home study format is Scott Hatch, J.D. of The Center for Legal Studies, who has been offering law programs nationally since 1980. His courses are currently offered at over 1000 universities and colleges across the US and his "Law for Life" series is featured on cable and PBS. He is also listed in Who's Who in California and Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities and has been a contributing editor to the Judicial Profiler & the Colorado Law Annotated series. He is the author of several textbooks including two for this course.

Course Books

Required textbooks for the Live course are:

  • Paralegal Procedures and Practices, by Scott and Lisa Hatch
  • Paralegal Career for Dummies, with CD of Forms, by Scott and Lisa Hatch
  • Basics of Legal Document Preparation, by Robert R. Cummins
  • Introduction to Paralegalism, 6th Edition by William Statsky
  • State Rules of Civil Procedure
  • Order Books Online
Highly Recommended Legal Resources:
  • Black's Law Dictionary 3rd Pocket Ed
  • Uniform System of Citation, most current edition
  • WESTLAW online legal research access, available for the duration of the course for only $75.00. Order online

Required textbooks for the Online and Text-only course are:

  • Basics of Legal Document Preparation, by Robert R. Cummins
  • A Paralegal Primer 3rd Edition
  • Paralegal Procedures and Practices, by Scott and Lisa Hatch
  • Introduction to Paralegalism 6th Ed., By William Statsky
  • Federal Civil Rules Booklet
  • Order Books Online

Highly Recommended Legal Resources:

  • Black's Law Dictionary 3rd Pocket Ed.
  • Uniform System of Citation, most current edition
  • WESTLAW online legal research access, available for the duration of the course for only $75.00. Order online

Required textbooks for DVD, VHS, and Audio course are: Highly Recommended Legal Resources:
  • Black's Law Dictionary 3rd Pocket Ed.
  • Basics of Legal Document Preparation by Robert R. Cummins
  • Introduction to Paralegalism, 5th Edition by William Statsky
  • Uniform System of Citation, most current edition
  • WESTLAW online legal research access, available for the duration of the course for only $75.00. Order online
  • Order Online

Home | Courses | Schedule | Video Samples | About | Contact | FAQs | Site Map | Store

The Center for legal Studies, Inc meets all BBBOnLine Reliability participation and Better Business Bureau membership standards.
 
Pay by JCB, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, or Diners Cards, and Check/Money Order

© 2008 The Center for Legal Studies, All Rights Reserved