About Online Paralegal Certificates

The job market for paralegals is continually growing. According to the Department of Labor Statistics, positions are plentiful; however, competition for jobs is stiff. Individuals with experience and the appropriate education have the best chance of landing employment.

Time Frame

An online paralegal certificate includes at least 25 credit hours of classes and usually takes about one year or less to complete.

Necessary Skills

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the certificate is limited to students who have earned an associate's or a bachelor's degree. Individuals who are strong in research, writing, interviewing and editing are poised to be successful in the profession.

Considerations

An online paralegal certification program should include coursework in at least legal research and writing; interviewing and investigating; civil procedure and intellectual property. Also, the school's faculty should consist of attorneys, judges and certified paralegals.

ABA Approval

Very few American Bar Association-approved programs exist in online format, since the body mandates that students take 10 hours of classwork in a traditional setting.

Life after the certificate

A good indicator to test the marketability of earning a paralegal certificate from a non-ABA program is to visit online job search engines such as www.monster.com. For example, Robert Half Legal Texas locations require candidates to possess a bachelor's degree and a certificate from an ABA-approved program, while some base their hiring prospects on factors beyond degrees and certificates.