What is a paralegal?

Paralegals are indispensable members of a legal team. They are, in many ways, a lawyer’s right hand—they support lawyers by performing various administrative tasks including drafting legal documents, summarizing reports, conducting research, maintaining files, scheduling meetings and so much more. 

Although there are no universal requirements to become a paralegal, most paralegal positions require some postsecondary education to ensure that the paralegal has the administrative and legal know-how needed to excel in this fast-paced role. Graduation from a certificate program in paralegal studies, many of which are now completely online, is one popular choice that demonstrates to employers that you’ve completed coursework focused specifically on the knowledge and skills that are relevant to a career as a paralegal.  

What to expect from an online paralegal certificate program

Paralegal certificate programs are typically offered by community and technical colleges as well as private and public universities. They may be full or part time programs and can take anywhere from a few months up to a year to complete, with most programs falling in the range of nine to 12 months long. 

Basic admission requirements

Most paralegal certificate programs are considered graduate certificate programs—that means that students are required to already have some previous college education before enrolling in the program. Some require students to already have an associate or bachelor’s degree, while others require that students have simply completed a certain number of college credits. Others may allow students without a degree to complete their paralegal certificate in conjunction with a formal degree program. 

Curriculum

Every program is going to have its own unique curriculum and course sequence, but most online paralegal programs include coursework on the following topics:  

• Introduction to law
• Legal research
• Civil litigation
• Contract law
• Legal writing
• Ethics and professional practice
• Law office technology and computer applications
• Courses on different types of law such as criminal law, family law, immigration law, real estate law, intellectual property and others  

Many paralegal certificate programs also include an internship, even for online programs. This means the student gets the chance to work in a law office doing the work of a paralegal to gain real-world experience. Many programs allow the student to pick where they want to work, perhaps giving them the opportunity to work at a law office that specializes in a type of law they may be interested in. Although some law offices may have internships that are conducted remotely, you should expect and prepare this part of your coursework to be done in person.  

“What you’re going to learn are the skills that you need to be able to find the information and be able to communicate that, and so I do think getting that skillset of understanding how the legal system works, how court filings work, what contracts are—all of those things are going to benefit a student going into a particular legal department or law firm and be able to pick things up quickly,” said Laura Haske, an attorney and the Instructional Coordinator for Elgin Community College’s paralegal program in Illinois.  

Browse our vetted online paralegal programs

The online experience

Getting a paralegal certificate online can make obtaining an education much more possible for people who work or have other commitments that make it challenging to take in-person courses. 

“If you have a student who is working full time, it can be hard to do traditional courses that would be delivered face to face. Having an online degree program is something that can be helpful for those types of students. And you know, there are others that want that traditional experience of being in the classroom. So I think maybe a format of delivery is something to consider when they’re choosing a program.” 

The advantages of getting a paralegal certificate online don’t end there. Haske said that the work paralegals do in law offices can be done remotely in most settings. An online program, therefore, can allow you to practice working in that kind of online environment.  

“I think developing those technology skills that an online course requires could be particularly helpful to paralegal students because they’re going to be working with those types of technologies when they’re on the job,” Haske said. “You’re learning how to use online meeting software, which is something that we do on the job with clients. We even still have Zoom court hearings where I live in Kane County, so paralegals are the ones who are helping to set those up and get their attorneys in there. In that sense, I think it’s a good experience.” 

Disadvantages

Online learning doesn’t come without its drawbacks, however. For one, having the right technology and a high-speed internet connection can be limiting for some people who don’t have access to these essential tools. Haske also said that online courses do miss out on some personal connectivity.  

“As a curriculum designer, I’m writing an online class right now and I’m trying really hard to think about creative ways for students to stay connected with each other and learn from each other in that kind of environment, but it just doesn’t happen as organically as it does face to face and on the ground.” 

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How to succeed in a virtual paralegal program

Online learning doesn’t come easy to every person. There are a few essential skills that can help make your online paralegal education much more manageable and set you up for success in your future—or current—career as a paralegal:  

• Time management: Getting your education online requires that you keep yourself accountable and manage your time well. When you don’t have a physical class to go to, it’s on you to make sure you attend your classes online and make time for homework and studying. “It’s really important for online students to be good at time management and calendaring because they are going to have lots of things that they’re going to have to do and get it scheduled and figure out when they’re going to do it. They have to be organized they have to be self-motivated,” Haske said.
• Technology: Online students and paralegals alike must be comfortable working with certain technologies such as learning management systems, video meeting software and more. “I also think having some kind of technology background can be beneficial even if it’s just making sure that you have decent typing skills,” Haske said. If these kinds of programs are new to you, you may wish to consider taking some basic technology courses to get up to speed. 
• Written and oral communication: “Working in the law is all about communication,” Haske said. “They have to be able to communicate orally with their supervising attorney, with court personnel. They have to be comfortable making phone calls and doing those types of things. I think any kind of development as a writer and as a communicator, is a way to set up for success in a paralegal program and as a paralegal in the future.” 

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How to choose the right paralegal program for you

There are a lot of paralegal certificate programs out there, so how do you go about finding one that works for you? Consider the following factors to start your search:  

ABA approval

Paralegal certificate programs approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) may be more advantageous as you enter the workforce. Although it is not required, attending an ABA-approved program could make it easier to eventually qualify for the two most popular paralegal certifications: the Certified Paralegal (CP) from NALA (formerly the National Association of Legal Assistants) and the Registered Paralegal (RP) from the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA). On top of that, an ABA-approved program may carry more professional weight when applying for jobs because the ABA is so widely recognized by legal organizations.  

“I think if someone’s going to make a commitment to getting the certificate that they should do it from an accredited institution, and then ideally one that is ABA-approved,” Haske said. However, Haske noted that there are plenty of great programs that don’t have ABA approval because it can be expensive for the school to maintain the oversight that ABA approval requires. She suggested that students explore the trends in their local legal industry to see whether or not graduation from an ABA-approved program is the norm.  

Note: The ABA accredits law school and paralegal programs in the United States. Law school programs are considered ABA-accredited, and paralegal programs are considered ABA-approved. 

Institutional reputation

It’s completely fair to take the time to scrutinize an academic institution’s reputation to make sure you attend a high-quality program that is worth your time and money. Researching the program’s instructors and their qualifications is one place to start. You may also ask the school if you could speak to any alumni to get their take on the program and see if it was worth it for them. Looking at a school’s graduation rate can be another quick indicator of the program’s potential for success.  

Evaluate cost

Certificate programs tend to be much more affordable than most college degrees because of their shorter timeframe. On top of that, online programs are sometimes a little less expensive because they tend to incur fewer overhead costs for the school. Tuition for online paralegal certificate programs tends to fall somewhere between $4,000 and $12,000 and are usually eligible for financial aid.   

Haske said that ABA-approved paralegal certificate programs do have a minimum number of credit hours, but they don’t have a maximum. “Depending on how that institution structures the program, you might see a significant difference in credit hours from one institution to another, which could impact the overall cost of your program of study.”  

Start by establishing a budget for your education so that you can get an idea of what you can afford for your online education.  

Alignment with career goals

Take a look at each program’s curriculum and learning objectives. Will these courses teach you the skills necessary to succeed as a paralegal? Does the program include an experiential learning requirement like an internship to give you some real-world experience before you graduate?   

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Career pathways for graduates

Like other certificate programs that are designed to prepare students for a specific career, most graduates of a certificate program in paralegal studies go on to pursue a career as a paralegal. That said, some people may follow other career paths with their education.  

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Resources for paralegal students

If you want to learn more about the paralegal profession, find mentorship and networking opportunities or talk to real paralegals, consider contacting or possibly joining a paralegal organization: 

• NALA, also known as The Paralegal Association (formerly known as the National Association of Legal Assistants), has been providing continuing education and professional development opportunities to paralegals and other legal professionals since 1975. NALA is also responsible for issuing the Certified Paralegal (CP) credential.
• The National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) is a membership organization affiliated with 37 local paralegal associations across 28 states. They also issue the Registered Paralegal (RP) certification.
• Founded in 1878, the American Bar Association (ABA) is a leading membership organization for lawyers and legal professionals that also accredits legal education programs.  
• The American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE) is a membership organization devoted to the advocacy and advancement of paralegal education programs.    

Scholarships and funding opportunities

Despite the relatively smaller price tag of certificate programs compared to traditional degrees, they can still be a hefty investment. Luckily, there are a lot of scholarships available for paralegal students to help ease the financial burden. When searching for scholarships, you should always begin by looking into any federal financial aid that may be available to you based on your income, and then check out scholarships that are offered by the academic institution you plan to attend.  

Once you’ve explored those resources, you can research additional funding opportunities: 

• The NFPA awards annual scholarships for paralegal students every year. The number of students and award amount varies from year to year. Applicants must answer an essay prompt and submit various supporting documents.  
• Many local paralegal associations offer scholarships for students. Paralegal associations can exist at the state, regional and even municipal level. See which paralegal associations are closest to you and research whether they offer any scholarships for paralegal students.  
• Check out your local law firms—some firms offer scholarships for current or upcoming students of paralegal studies programs.  

Final say

If you’re thinking about starting a career as a paralegal, an online certificate program in paralegal studies can be a fantastic way to get the knowledge and skills needed to hit the ground running. Earning your certificate online could make it much easier to finish your education, but that doesn’t mean you won’t get any hands-on experience. In fact, most online paralegal programs include an internship or externship course that allows you to work in a real legal setting. This can be highly valuable to employers once you start applying for jobs.  

Start researching programs today to discover what a paralegal certificate could do for your career. 

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