Paralegal/Legal Assistant Certificate

This program is also available completely online.

The Paralegal/Legal Assistant certificate helps students qualify as legal assistants aiding lawyers with procedural activities in the practice of law. These activities include research, alternative dispute resolution, interviewing witnesses, and drafting motions, interrogatories, and pleadings. Legal assistants may work in government agencies, in corporations that have in-house attorneys, and in private law firms, or they may prefer to freelance. The paralegal profession is one of the fastest growing occupations in Maryland, and the demand for legal assistants in the Washington Metropolitan Area is high. This certificate is well-suited for individuals who want to upgrade their skills or get a promotion, and credits earned may be applied toward the A.A.S. degree.

Completion of this coursework results in an academic certificate. Students wishing to obtain a professional certification must pass an examination with an authorized certifying body.

Graduates of the Paralegal/Legal Assistant Certificate will be able to:

• Apply investigative techniques to gather information from clients, witnesses, and other sources
• Analyze legal resources found in a law library, using manual methods, computer software, and online research tools, such as Westlaw
• Apply critical thinking skills in the reading and interpretation of the law
• Draft legal documents, pleadings, motions, and other writings typically assigned to paralegals