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:: Paralegal Courses- Certificates

A paralegal is an individual who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency, or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible. Paralegals perform tasks requiring knowledge of the law and legal procedures, but the exact nature of their work and limitations that the law places on the tasks they are allowed to undertake vary between nations and jurisdictions. A paralegal is not a lawyer but is typically employed by a law office or internal legal department of a company; paralegals are typically not allowed to offer legal services independently in most jurisdictions. Paralegals operate under a form of independent legal ethics, but with few exceptions must also typically conduct their work under the formal supervision of an attorney. In some jurisdictions, paralegals can conduct their own business and are called Law Agents, providing services such as settlements, court filings, legal research and other auxiliary legal services; these tasks often have instructions from a solicitor attached.

In the United States, a paralegal is protected from some forms of professional liability under the theory that paralegals are working as an enhancement of an attorney, who takes ultimate responsibility for the supervision of the paralegal's work and their work product. Paralegals often have taken a prescribed series of courses in law and legal processes. Paralegals may analyze and summarize depositions, prepare and answer interrogatories, draft procedural motions and other routine briefs, perform legal research and analysis, draft research memos, and perform case and project management. Paralegals often handle drafting much of the paper work in probate cases, divorce actions, bankruptcies, and investigations. Consumers of legal services are typically billed for the time paralegals spend on their cases. In the United States, they are not authorized by the government or other agency to offer legal services (including legal advice) except in Washington State in the same way as lawyers, nor are they officers of the court, nor are they usually subject to government-sanctioned or court-sanctioned rules of conduct. By contrast, in some jurisdictions (Ontario, Canada, for example) paralegals are licensed and regulated the same way that lawyers are and these licensed professionals may be permitted to provide legal services to the public and appear before certain lower courts and administrative tribunals.

In the United States, a certificate may be offered by an institute of higher education. These certificates usually signify that a student has reached a standard of knowledge about a certain vocational or professional subject. Certificate programs can be completed more quickly than associate degrees and often do not have general education requirements. Undergraduate certificates represent completion of a specific program offered in coordination with a bachelors degree. Graduate certificates represent completion of studies beyond the bachelor's degree, yet short of a masters degree.

In the State of Maryland, a Certificate of Merit was, until recently, issued to graduating high-school seniors who met certain academic requirements (such as completion of advanced courses and a cumulative GPA of 3.00); the statewide certificate has since been replaced by "endorsements" defined by each local school system.[3]

It also may be awarded as a necessary certification to validate that a student is considered competent in a certain specific networking skill area in information technology. Thus a computer engineer or computer science graduation most likely will have to obtain additional certificates on and pertaining to the specific technologies or equipment used by the hiring corporation; if not, such employer may suffer unwanted penalties like foregoing (voiding the contract) the protections of a certain level of customer service or warranties.

A certification is a third-party attestation of an individual's level of knowledge or proficiency in a certain industry or profession. They are granted by authorities in the field, such as professional societies and universities, or by private certificate-granting agencies. Most certifications are time-limited; some expire after a period of time (e.g., the lifetime of a product that required certification for use), while others can be renewed indefinitely as long as certain requirements are met. Renewal usually requires ongoing education to remain up-to-date on advancements in the field, evidenced by earning the specified number of continuing education credits (CECs), or continuing education units (CEUs), from approved professional development courses.

Many certification programs are affiliated with professional associations, trade organizations, or private vendors interested in raising industry standards. Certificate programs are often created or endorsed by professional associations, but are typically completely independent from membership organizations. Certifications are very common in fields such as aviation, construction, technology, environment, and other industrial sectors, as well as healthcare, business, real estate, and finance.

According to The Guide to National Professional Certification Programs (1997) by Phillip Barnhart, "certifications are portable, since they do not depend on one company's definition of a certain job" and they provide protential employers with "an impartial, third-party endorsement of an individual's professional knowledge and experience".[1]

Certification is different from professional licensure. In the United States, licenses are typically issued by state agencies, whereas certifications are usually awarded by professional societies or educational institutes. Obtaining a certificate is voluntary in some fields, but in others, certification from a government-accredited agency may be legally required to perform certain jobs or tasks. In other countries, licenses are typically granted by professional societies or universities and require a certificate after about three to five years and so on thereafter. The assessment process for certification may be more comprehensive than that of licensure, though sometimes the assessment process is very similar or even the same, despite differing in terms of legal status.

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) defines the standard for being a certifying agency as meeting the following two requirements:

1. Delivering an assessment based on industry knowledge that is independent from training courses or course providers
2. Granting a time-limited credential to anyone who meets the assessment standards

The Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE) is a U.S.-based organization that sets standards for the accreditation of personnel certification and certificate programs based on the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing, a joint publication of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), the American Psychological Association (APA), and the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME). Many members of the Association of Test Publishers (ATP) are also certification organizations.

• Phillip Barnhart, The Guide to National Professional Certification Programs (1997), HRD Press. ISBN 0-8493-9960-2 Retrieved electronically 7 July 2009.

• Master of Professional Studies in Real Estate. "Advanced Professional Certificate in Real Estate | Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies". Scs.georgetown.edu. Archived from the original on 16 July 2012. Retrieved 18 May 2012.

• "Certificate Programs". lesley.edu.

Industry Description Full Program Listing

Code	Concentration	More Info
AA/PR	Paralegal
School: Platt College Program: Our comprehensive curriculum covers: Criminal Law, Torts, Civil Procedures, Property Contracts, Probate Family Law. "Platt College is a close-knit school. The teachers and administration are very supportive and I think this is important to the learning process." - Rowena Hernandez, Ontario Campus Paralegal studies are only available at our Ontario campus :: Concentration: Criminal Justice :: Campus    ::  Location: Los Angeles, CA ::  more info  ::  Location: Newport Beach, CA   ::  Location: Ontario, CA

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Code	Concentration	More Info
AA/PR	Paralegal Studies From McIntosh College
School: McIntosh College Program: Over the past several years, paraprofessionals have taken on an increasingly important role in providing medical, dental, and legal services. The Paralegal Studies degree provides the academic, technical and experiential foundation for a successful career in the Paralegal field. The curriculum includes a number of electives to accommodate students interested in either private or public legal practice. :: Concentration: Criminal Justice :: Campus    ::  Location: Dover, NH ::  more info

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Code	Concentration	More Info
	Paralegal
School: Branford Hall Program: :: Concentration: Criminal Justice :: Online        ::  Location: Branford, CT ::  more info  ::  Location: Southington, CT ::  more info  ::  Location: Windsor, CT ::  more info

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Code	Concentration	More Info
BSGB	Certificate - Paralegal Studies
School: Sullivan University System Program: This certificate program is designed to allow individuals with a prior degree to complete a short program of study, yet have exposure to the same law-related course work that is required for the Paralegal Studies Associate Degree. This program of study is approved by the American Bar Association. :: Concentration: Criminal Justice :: Online        ::  Location: Louisville ::  more info  ::  Location: Lexington ::  more info  ::  Location: Fort Knox ::  more info

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Code	Concentration	More Info
BSGB	Certificate - Paralegal Studies
School: Sullivan University System Program: This certificate program is designed to allow individuals with a prior degree to complete a short program of study, yet have exposure to the same law-related course work that is required for the Paralegal Studies Associate Degree. This program of study is approved by the American Bar Association. :: Concentration: Criminal Justice :: Online        ::  Location: Louisville ::  more info  ::  Location: Lexington ::  more info  ::  Location: Fort Knox ::  more info

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Industry Description

Do you have the analytical mind perfect for work in the legal field? Do you have a desire to become part of the fast paced and influential world where lawyers face off? If so, paralegal courses can put you into that reality in as little as 18 months. At which time, your paralegal course will open doors for you, working alongside lawyers in law firms, banks, insurance companies, corporations, government or social assistance areas.

With the various methods of study available today, there is an option that will you’re your needs. Parents looking ahead to their return to the workforce, working professionals desiring to upgrade credentials and the high school graduate ready to train for a career will all find the perfect educational fit for them. Campus based study, modular classes, online courses and distance learning are all excellent educational opportunities. Best of all, no matter which method is right for you, you will have the benefit of the highest quality instructors to help you acquire the skills and knowledge you will need to successfully complete your paralegal course.

You will learn the language of law, how cases are prepared for trial, how to conduct research and present this in a format that will assist lawyers in preparation for cases that effect the world in a vital way. Flexible, affordable study, the prospect of an exciting and influential career, the assurance of working in a high growth field -- with all of these reasons to begin a paralegal course, why wait? Begin today!

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