Who Should Attend the JMU Paralegal Certificate Program?

• Legal staff wanting to advance their careers by completing a formal paralegal studies program
• Career changers looking for a profession with strong earning potential

Paralegal Certificate Program Courses

Career Preparation - provides up-and-coming paralegals the tools they need to compete for jobs. This course also provides an introduction to the paralegal profession and workforce.

As part of the Career Preparation course, you will complete a paralegal career portfolio. The portfolio is a collection of strategically-chosen assignments you completed during the program, along with your résumé and cover letter. It is a visual tool that highlights skills employers want and provides an opportunity for you to showcase your formal training to potential employers.

Introduction to Law – provides an overview of the environment in which a paralegal works, in addition to legal writing and citation, the operation of the court system, the role of government in the legal system, and the basics of attorney/paralegal ethics.

Legal Research & Writing – provides the foundation for finding legal authority, conducting legal analysis, and writing a basic legal memorandum. During this course, students will conduct legal research through LexisNexis’ online database. Paralegal Studies Certificate students will identify and distinguish the difference between primary and secondary authority, and author a legal memorandum.

Civil Litigation – prepares students to work in the context of civil litigation. Note that Virginia’s legal system is similar to many other states, and this knowledge is applicable outside of the Commonwealth of Virginia. During the course, students will learn both the Federal Rules of Civil Procedures (applicable in all federal courts) and the Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure.

Contract Law – provides an introduction to the broad area of contract law, the basics of contract law, and the elements necessary to create a valid contract. During this course, students in the Paralegal Studies Certificate program will learn the basic requirements of an enforceable contract, contract performance, and remedies available upon the breach of a contract.

JMU Paralegal Certificate or Certification?

You may have read that you need a paralegal certification to work as a paralegal. To become “certified,” the paralegal passes an exam given by a third-party legal organization. However, paralegal certification is not required for paralegal employment. Instead, employers value paralegals who possess job-related education or training. JMU’s Paralegal Studies Certificate is taught to provide the student with a command of several essential skills paralegal employers are looking for, including knowledge of legal procedure, research, and ethics, and the ability to draft legal documents.

JMU’s Paralegal Studies Certificate is NOT a certificate of participation, which is given to individuals who attend very brief workshop events and aren’t required to demonstrate mastery of the learning material taught in our course.

Our program is an assessment-based certificate, not certification. This program is also not a post-baccalaureate certificate. For information on paralegal certification, please contact the National Association of Legal Assistants, National Federation of Paralegal Associations, or your state bar.

The Paralegal Studies Certificate Program at James Madison University is time and money well spent! The classes are a convenient way for busy professionals and parents to complete the program. The instructors are knowledgeable professionals with a true interest in helping their students succeed. Within one month of completing the program, I had my dream job with a 25% increase in salary!

Julie Alexander, graduate