Coastal Bend College to Offer a Non-credit Certified Paralegal Program

Coastal Bend College’s Department of Continuing Education has partnered with Ed2Go to provide a Certified Paralegal non-credit program completely online.

Paralegals play a vital role in the legal profession. These qualified professionals take on a variety of tasks ranging from legal research to drafting legal documents in traditional law office settings and in the corporate, government, and public arenas. Formal training is a critical part of preparing for a career as a paralegal.

The Paralegal course will help you gain the skills you need to enter the paralegal workforce. You will learn how to conduct legal research and legal interviews, how to perform legal analyses, and more. As you prepare for your paralegal career, you will also receive soft skills training to increase workplace effectiveness. The course concludes with a capstone project and a portfolio review. You will first create a complete litigation file that includes: a legal analysis brief, an investigative report, client interview checklist, intake memo, complaint, legal research, and interoffice memorandum of law. Then, you will learn how to create a strong resume that encompasses your specialized skill set and showcases the impact you would make for your next employer.

Through a partnership with the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA), you will also receive membership and access to NALA’s Certified Paralegal (CP) Exam Review courses should you choose to take the NALA CP exam at a future time.

Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites to take this course. However, you will need a high school diploma or GED equivalent to start a career as a paralegal. It is also recommended that you have basic computer skills, including proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite and fundamental keyboarding skills. A strong grasp of English grammar conventions, such as spelling, punctuation, and composition, is also recommended.

The program cost is $2495 and includes the following textbooks:

• Introduction to Paralegalism, by William P. Statsky,
• Paralegal Today: The Legal Team at Work, by Roger Miller and Mary Meinzinger

• Access to Westlaw: Legal Solutions
• After successful completion of the course and financial obligation you will receive access to the Certified Paralegal Exam review self-study courses, which includes:
  • Membership
  • Access to the self-study courses

If you have any questions or would like to register for the physical therapy aide program at Coastal Bend College, please email ce@coastalbend.edu or call 361-354-2768.