Reputable online paralegal certificate programs
October 7, 2021 6:41 AM Subscribe
I have been working as a paralegal for 3 years, but in an unusual legal area. I think it's time for me to get some actual book-learnin' on being a paralegal and change areas. I want to attend an online school and come out of it with a paralegal certificate and some confidence that I know what the hell I'm doing, taught by someone other than myself.
I have tried a few other options but I'm hoping someone on AskMe will have better resources for me. It can be either a great online school you know of from another area of study that also has a paralegal program, OR a specific paralegal program you could recommend. Assume that I have a BA and will be able to fulfill prerequisites. Full online is preferable, but I am located in Austin, TX if I need to be anywhere in person for part of the process.
I have tried a few other options but I'm hoping someone on AskMe will have better resources for me. It can be either a great online school you know of from another area of study that also has a paralegal program, OR a specific paralegal program you could recommend. Assume that I have a BA and will be able to fulfill prerequisites. Full online is preferable, but I am located in Austin, TX if I need to be anywhere in person for part of the process.
Howdy! Take this with a grain of salt - contents of job ads apart, most of what I know was dated even before the pandemic.
There used to be a strong bias towards in-person and local programs over online certificate programs. I would look for ABA-approved programs that may have gone virtual during the pandemic, or else for a program with a recognizable in-state school name attached. Approval by the American Bar Association indicates that the program has some substance to it. Austin Community College's program was not ABA-approved, but was regarded as a serious program back when I kept track. The University of Texas has done paralegal certificate programs off and on; they are much less substantive, but UT sounds impressive.
Online certificates are good for when you've been doing the work for several years and just need a quick piece of paper that says you're a 'real' paralegal. (This is definitely you within your sub-specialty.)
Most (but not all) employers want to hire someone who already has years of experience in their specific niche. In past hiring rounds, my employers had a real horror of having to train anyone. It's frustrating!
posted by mersen at 10:16 AM on October 7, 2021 [1 favorite]
There used to be a strong bias towards in-person and local programs over online certificate programs. I would look for ABA-approved programs that may have gone virtual during the pandemic, or else for a program with a recognizable in-state school name attached. Approval by the American Bar Association indicates that the program has some substance to it. Austin Community College's program was not ABA-approved, but was regarded as a serious program back when I kept track. The University of Texas has done paralegal certificate programs off and on; they are much less substantive, but UT sounds impressive.
Online certificates are good for when you've been doing the work for several years and just need a quick piece of paper that says you're a 'real' paralegal. (This is definitely you within your sub-specialty.)
Most (but not all) employers want to hire someone who already has years of experience in their specific niche. In past hiring rounds, my employers had a real horror of having to train anyone. It's frustrating!
posted by mersen at 10:16 AM on October 7, 2021 [1 favorite]
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posted by mareli at 9:53 AM on October 7, 2021 [1 favorite]