Area residents interested in pursuing a paralegal career will have the opportunity to earn a Paralegal Certificate through an online course being offered beginning June 29 by Neumann University in partnership with the Center for Legal Studies, a Colorado company that provides students with legal education through colleges across the nation. 

The 14-week Paralegal Certificate Course© is designed to prepare students for the job market and give them the knowledge and skills needed to begin earning a salary as quickly as possible. 

Students will be trained to interview witnesses, investigate complex fact patterns, research the law, prepare legal documents, and assist in preparing cases for courtroom litigation. The instruction is practice-oriented and relates to those areas of law in which paralegals are in most demand.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ projections, the number of paralegal positions will be 28 percent higher by 2018 than it was a decade earlier, a growth rate that is much faster than the national average for all occupations. The national median earnings for paralegals is currently $48,480, and freelance paralegal professionals can earn significantly more.

Previous graduates of the Paralegal Certificate Course are working in law firms, major corporations, healthcare organizations, the banking industry, and government agencies. Students who complete the course will receive their certificate from Neumann University.

The cost of the Paralegal Certificate Course is $1,289. To learn more, contact the Division of Continuing Adult and Professional Studies at 610-5588-5629 or CAPS@neumann.edu.

The Center for Legal Studies was founded in 1980. It offers legal courses in conjunction with more than 185 colleges and universities nationwide in live lecture, online, DVD, and text-only formats.