You'll be qualified to:

• assist trial attorneys
• interview witnesses
• research the law
• investigate complex facts
• assist in case preparation

What you can expect

• 10-15 hours of reading and homework a week.
• 90 hours of instruction in two consecutive sessions (seven weeks for paralegal I; seven weeks for paralegal II.
• 7-week WESTLAW, legal research access, available during the online session for $89.
• You can begin your course with either online session offered.
• You'll earn your St. Cloud State University certificate after you complete the courses, successfully pass six quizzes and finish five legal document writing assignments.

DVD

• DVD format is available to students who, because of location or schedule conflicts, are unable to take the course in other formats.
• Students have a maximum of 6 months to complete Paralegal I and 6 months to complete Paralegal II (12 months total).

 What you'll learn

 Paralegal I

• Legal terminology, legal process, and rules of civil procedure
• Ethics, torts, and contracts
• Legal documents and legal analysis
• Discovery documents and legal interviewing
• Evidence and legal investigation

Paralegal II

• Legal authority
• Introduction to legal research, secondary sources and finding tools
• Citation format and appellate procedure
• Computerized legal research
• Legal writing and analysis
• Law office administration and informal and formal advocacy
• Job-hunting techniques