Certified paralegals play an extremely important role in the legal industry. This 100% online course, which can be started and finished at any time, prepares individuals for the Certified Paralegal exam, offered by the National Association of Legal Assistants.
Students learn how to perform a variety of tasks that paralegals experience every day, such as legal research, interviews, analysis and more.
"It was different than going to a classroom, but I really enjoyed this course! Now that I've finished, I help file motions for everything from reopening cases to telephonic appeals."
– Sonjie A.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), jobs for paralegals will grow by 15% through 2026, which is faster than most other positions. The BLS states that the average annual salary for paralegals is $50,000. However, salary can increase depending on law specialty and experience level.
For more information on Wake Tech's program, email [email protected].
Industry-recognized credential: National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA),Certified Paralegal/Certified Legal Assistant (CP/CLA)
Complete in: Six month or less
Paralegal Courses
Certified Legal Secretary
Course Objectives
Learn useful and practical office and administrative skills
Gain legal research and writing skills
Gain exposure to a range of law topics and fields
Outline of Instruction
Ethics for Paralegals
Law Office Management
Introduction to Accounting
Grammar Essentials
Legal Writing
Legal Research and the Law Library
Introduction to the Legal System
Administrative Law
Civil Litigation
Contracts
Torts
Criminal Law and Procedure
Family Law Outline
Business Entity Formation
Real Estate Law
Probate Law and Estate Planning
Bankruptcy Law
Contact Hours
444
CEUs
No
Industry Standard, State or National Certification
Certification
None
Website
None
Certification Learning Outcomes/Requirements
CE or CU Articulation
No
Prerequisites
While there are no prerequisites to complete this course, it is designed to prepare you to pass the ALP exam. In order to sit for the exam, students need to meet the following exam eligibility requirements independent of this course: Completion of an accredited business/legal course, or completion of a NALS Legal Training Course, or
one year of general office experience.
Learning Supplies Needed
Hardware requirements:
This course can be taken on either a PC or a Mac.
Software requirements:
PC: Windows 7 or later
Mac: macOS 12 or later
Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox is preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
Microsoft Office or equivalent (not included in enrollment)
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.
Other:
Email capabilities and access to a personal email account
Instructional material requirements:
The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment. The following textbooks will be shipped to you approximately seven to 10 business days after enrollment: "Accounting for Managers" and "Bookkeeping Made Simple."
NOTE: You will receive a digital book if the physical book is on back order.
Clinical Site/Special Facilities
N/A
Requirements for Successful Completion
90% attendance
Accreditation/Special Approval Requirements
N/A
Intended Audience
Anyone interested in entering the legal profession and preparing for the NALS Accredited Legal Professional exam.
Specific Industry or Business Support Needs
N/A
Wake County Need for Industry Positions
N/A
Industry or Job Titles Related to Training Outcomes for Employment
Related Courses
Course Contact Information
Non-Credit Online Learning https://ceonline.waketech.edu
919-532-5847
[email protected]
No active courses available at this time.
To be notified when this course becomes available, please use
Wake Tech’s Notify Me service
for SEF-3001BRG-Certified Legal Secretary
.
Digital Court Reporting with Legal Transcription
NOTE: If taking the course to prepare for the exam, please research the locations you are interested in working to determine whether they use digital reporting methods and ask if they recognize AAERT certification.
Course Objectives
Learn how to create an accurate legal transcript
Explore the fundamentals of the United States legal system
Study professionalism, ethics and confidentiality
Learn legal, medical and industry terminology
Learn about digital reporting hardware and software, including practice using digital recording software
Outline of Instruction
Digital Court Reporter: The legal system, terminology, hardware, software and annotations, on the job and on the record, court work and large proceedings, professionalism in the legal system, course wrap-up
Legal Transcription: Transcriptionist software setup, English language, terminology, grammar and punctuation, building the transcript, transcription assignments and working environment, transcription assignments and course wrap-up
Contact Hours
120
CEUs
No
Industry Standard, State or National Certification
Certification
None
Website
None
Certification Learning Outcomes/Requirements
CE or CU Articulation
No
Prerequisites
To complete this course, you need a high school diploma or equivalent, basic computer skills (create folders/directories and save files, locate files saved on a computer and upload them to a webpage, use a web browser to search the internet and familiarity with a word processing program) and the ability to use Zoom or other videoconferencing software. You also must be eligible for notary public commissions in your state.
Learning Supplies Needed
Hardware requirements:
You may use either a PC or a Mac for this course, but support for Mac-specific issues is not provided. Additionally, if you intend to use the trial version of the digital reporting software (included), a PC is required, as it is not compatible with Mac systems. (Most software providers in this field primarily support PC platforms.)
If using a desktop with no internal sound card, it may be necessary to plug in an external microphone.
A reliable internet connection
Software requirements:
PC: Windows 11 or later
Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome is preferred. Mozilla Firefox and Safari are also compatible.
MS Word (Microsoft Word 2016, 2019 and Office 365), CAT software or any other word processing softare. (Only support for MS Word is provided.)
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Free Express Scribe software. You will be provided with download instructions upon enrollment.
A free trial of digital reporting software will be provided in the software module of the course.
Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins, except for the Express Scribe and digital reporting software.
Other:
Email capabilities and access to a personal email account
Instructional material requirements:
The supplies required for this course are included in enrollment. The following will be shipped to you approximately seven to 10 business days after enrollment: AltoEdge USB foot pedal and Transcriber headphones.
Clinical Site/Special Facilities
N/A
Requirements for Successful Completion
90% attendance
Accreditation/Special Approval Requirements
N/A
Intended Audience
This course is for anyone interested in entering the court reporting field as a digital court reporter and a legal transcriber.
Specific Industry or Business Support Needs
N/A
Wake County Need for Industry Positions
N/A
Industry or Job Titles Related to Training Outcomes for Employment
No active courses available at this time.
To be notified when this course becomes available, please use
Wake Tech’s Notify Me service
for SEF-3001CEG-Digital Court Reporting with Legal Transcription
.
Frequently asked questions
Paralegals perform many duties that attorneys also perform. Paralegals can conduct legal research, draft contracts, pleadings and other legal documents, answer client questions and help prepare for trial.
U.S. News and World Report listed paralegal as No. 2 on its list of "Best Jobs that Don’t Require a College Degree." Paralegals were also included on the "The 100 Best Jobs" list overall based on salary, job market, potential growth and work-life balance.
Paralegals can choose to specialize in different types of law, such as criminal, family, immigration, real estate, etc.
No. Paralegals are responsible for performing many of the tasks an attorney would do otherwise, such as conducting legal research or preparing a case file. They are often viewed as an extension of the attorney. Legal secretaries fill a more administrative role within a law firm.
Paralegals can work in any state because, unlike attorneys, paralegals are not bound to a specific state licensing board. In other words, a paralegal certification is valuable nationwide.
Yes, you can go from a paralegal to a lawyer. Starting as a paralegal can provide great insight into how the legal system works. However, you will need a bachelor's degree before you can apply for law school and pass a state bar exam.
