Paralegal Certificate Program

12 Weeks -- Part Time

If you are...

• A college graduate seeking entry into a well paying, high growth career field
• Considering law school but want to be sure a law career is for you
• A legal secretary looking for career advancement
• Interested in the legal profession with its challenging career opportunities
• Thinking about a career change...

...then you should consider a Paralegal career.  Curry College offers a part-time, 96-hour, 12-week Paralegal Certificate Program where you will gain the expertise required to begin a paralegal career.

What is a Paralegal and What Types of Work Do They Perform?
A paralegal works under the supervision of an attorney and performs similar work but does not provide legal advice or argue in court.  With ongoing experience, paralegals assume increasingly challenging and responsible projects.  While most Paralegals work in law offices, many are also employed in corporate legal departments, insurance companies, government agencies, law enforcement, and social service agencies. 

The job outlook for paralegals is very favorable.  Paralegal employment is projected to grow 28% through 2018 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Paralegals have the knowledge and skills to perform many of the services provided by attorneys, but at a lower cost.

Unique Attorney/Paralegal Teaching Teams  -- The Curry Advantage!
The Curry College Paralegal Certificate Program will provide you with the knowledge and skills to perform the work required of a paralegal.  Our unique team teaching approach pairs a practicing attorney with a practicing paralegal to teach you the analytical, organizational, and technical competencies of paralegal work.  Our attorney instructors will teach you about the law, legal theory, and legal procedure.  And our experienced paralegal instructors will continue your learning in a workshop format where you will complete simulated projects and assignments in each of the five legal topics of the program.  As you complete each of the five topical areas of the Paralegal Certificate Program you will gain the required knowledge and build a portfolio of completed work.

Curry's attorney/paralegal teaching teams are highly experienced both as legal experts and as teachers.  Their extensive team teaching experience will prepare you to work in the legal profession.

Curry's "Cohort" Learning Model
Curry's Paralegal Certificate Program is delivered in a cohort format to allow you to complete the entire program with the same group of learners.  Cohort learning creates a community of learners who study together, provide support for one another, discuss common concerns, and generate networking opportunities.

Curriculum

• Real Estate - Focuses on the legal principles and practical skills involved in real estate transactions, with particular attention to title searches, the anatomy of the deed and deed preparation, purchase and sale agreements, HUD settlement statements, and other components common in a residential real estate transaction.
• Probate - Learn the process of settling an estate, taking Inventory, Accounting for the assets and liabilities of the estate, and the basics of estate taxation and estate planning.
• Litigation - Reviews the court system, how litigators and paralegals work together, and civil litigation from pre-litigation through appeal period.  You will have the opportunity to learn about and become skilled at working with the Massachusetts Rules of Civil Procedure, a wide range of litigation documents, court papers, pleadings, and client materials, as well as developing an understanding   about procedures used in preparing for trial with a heavy emphasis on pre-trial discovery, including    e-discovery.
• Business Organizations - Learn the structure of various forms of business ownership, the process and consequences of incorporation, the nature of intellectual property and a practical understanding of securities regulation and corporate finance alternatives.  Elements of paralegal practice include corporate name searches, preparation of corporate filings, review of relevant laws and regulations, an overview of corporate governance and compliance topics, the issuance of corporate stock and an introduction to Article IX of the Uniform Commercial Code.
• Legal Research and Writing - Research case law and statutes using law books and the Internet.  You will learn how to interpret and locate legal materials and research and write a legal memorandum for an attorney.
• Ethics for the Paralegal - Learn the roles and responsibilities of paralegals and the parameters of their work, including the unauthorized practice of law.

Course Schedule -- A Convenient Hybrid Format
Curry's Paralegal Certificate Program is delivered in a hybrid learning format to allow you to attend classes on campus, two evenings a week from 6:30-9:30, every other week.  During the alternating weeks, instructor-led classes are held online to allow you to complete coursework and assignments at times convenient for you.  In addition, you will attend two on-campus Saturday classes each month that meet from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.   Upon acceptance into the program, you will receive a complete and detailed schedule.  You will also be provided with instruction at the program orientation on how to use the online course software.

View the Fall 2012 Paralegal Course Schedule (PDF).  The next Paralegal Certificate programs will start in September 2012, Spring 2013 and Summer 2013.

Admission Requirements
A bachelor's degree is generally required for entry into a Paralegal position.  Therefore, program applicants should have earned a bachelor's degree in any undergraduate major.  The degree requirement may be waived for candidates who have several years of law-related work experience.

To apply, please forward the following to Curry College, Paralegal Certificate Program, 1071 Blue Hill Avenue, Milton, MA 02186:

• A completed application, download PDF, with a $35 non-refundable application fee (payable to Curry College)
• Two professional letters of recommendation
• Current resume

Applications will be accepted on a rolling admission basis.  We encourage you to send your Paralegal Program application early and forward your additional materials as available.  A decision will be made once all your application materials are received.

• Paralegal Program Instructor Profiles

Tuition: $3395

Attend an Information Session to learn more

Plan to attend one of our Information Sessions to learn more about the program and to meet the program faculty and staff:  Contact us at 617-979-3547 or ccce@curry.edu for more information.

RSVP for an Informational Event Date!

For more information call the Paralegal Certificate Program at 617-979-3547 or send an email to ccce@curry.edu