The Paralegal Certificate Course^© is the cornerstone of The Center for Legal Studies programs. Paralegalism is one of the fastest growing careers in the country.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the number of paralegals to increase 28% between 2008 and 2018, much faster than the national average for all occupations.

The national median earnings for paralegals is currently $44,480.00/Year and freelance paralegal professionals average significantly more across the board.

The Paralegal Certificate Course^© is available in a variety of formats to suit your schedule and is offered through colleges and universities nationwide. Successful graduates will receive a professional certificate from the college or university of their choice. Please check the course schedule to find a school near you.

California paralegals may need to complete Advanced Paralegal coursework to meet the requirements of California Business and Professional Code §6450. Please click here for more information.

Course Schedule

This course may be available for college credit and may be used to earn an A.A. or B.S.B.A. Degree with an emphasis in Legal Studies.

Please call 1-800-522-7737 or email info@legalstudies.com for more information.

The Paralegal Certificate Course is offered in the following formats:

• Live Lecture
• Online
• DVD
• Text-Only

This intensive, nationally acclaimed program is designed for beginning as well as advanced legal workers.

• Syllabus
• Six or Eight Week Programs
• Professional certificate awarded by one of hundreds of colleges and universities. (See Course Schedule)
• Can be taken for college credit.
• The cost for this course depends on which college or university the student chooses to take it through.
• Schools offering the Live Lecture format - Schedule and Costs
• List of Required Textbooks
• Legal Research Requirement
• Order Books Online
• Financial Aid Information
• FAQs

The Center for Legal Studies features in an Online format the same Paralegal Certificate Course^© that has been offered live since 1980 at colleges and universities throughout the nation. This format is available to students via any computer with internet access and at any time of day or night during our online sessions.

• Syllabus
• Review the material as many times as necessary for full retention of the information.
• Students benefit from direct interaction with the instructor and other students by way of email and a discussion board.
• Online course is available virtually anytime, in the comfort and privacy of your home or office.
• Students have 14 weeks to complete the online course (7 weeks for paralegal I and 7 weeks for paralegal II). Students must complete both Paralegal 1 and Paralegal 2 to be awarded a Certificate. (California paralegals may need to complete Advanced Paralegal course work to meet the requirements of California Business and Professional Code §6450. Please click here for more information.)
• Students e-mail assignments and exams
• Schools offering the Online format - Schedule and Costs
• List of Required Textbooks
• Legal Research Requirement
• Order Books Online
• College credits are available through Adams State University.
• Once registered, your password and access information will be sent via email prior to the start of class.
• Financial Aid Information

The Center for Legal Studies features in a DVD format the same Paralegal Certificate Course^© that has been offered live since 1980 at colleges and universities throughout the nation. Through your DVD player or computer this course is available to students who, because of location or schedule conflicts, are unable to take the course in other formats.

• Introduction and syllabus
• College credits are available through Adams State University.
• Take course on your time in the comfort and privacy of your home or office.
• Students mail or email assignments to The Center for Legal Studies for grading.
• Review the material as many times as necessary for full retention of the information.
• Questions can be directed to the instructor via a toll-free number.
• Twenty-nine (29) hours of a recorded live lecture!
• Students have a maximum of 6 months to complete Paralegal I and 6 months to complete Paralegal II (12 months total).
• Schools offering the DVD format - Schedule and Costs
• Required Texts for DVD Format Please call 800-522-7737 for exact prices and to order, or visit our Online Store.
• Legal Research Requirement
• Order Books Online
• Financial Aid Information

The Center for Legal Studies features in a text-only format the same Paralegal Certificate Course^© that has been offered live since 1980 at colleges and universities throughout the nation. This course is available to students who, because of location or schedule conflicts, are unable to take the course in other formats. The Text-only format is a printed version of the online course and requires only the printed lesson material that we send you and your textbooks.

• Introduction and syllabus
• College credits are available through Adams State University.
• Take course on your time in the comfort and privacy of your home or office.
• Students mail or email assignments to The Center for Legal Studies for grading.
• Review the material as many times as necessary for full retention of the information.
• Questions can be directed to the instructor via a toll-free number.
• Students have a maximum of 6 months to complete Paralegal I and 6 months to complete Paralegal II (12 months total).
• Schools offering the Text-Only format - Schedule and Costs
• Required Texts for the Text-Only Format Please call 800-522-7737 for exact prices and to order, or visit our Online Store.
• Order Books Online
• Financial Aid Information

Required textbooks for the Live, Online and Text-only formats are:

• Paralegal Certificate Course© Workbook, by Margaret J. Kirk
• Paralegal Career for Dummies, by Scott and Lisa Hatch
• Introduction to Paralegalism, 7th Edition by William Statsky
• Federal Civil Rules Booklet
• Sample Pages: Illustrations of Organization and Research Techniques in West Group Publications, 4th edition by West Group
• A Uniform System of Citation (aka "The Bluebook"), most recent edition
• Order Books Online

NOTE: WESTLAW® online legal research access is required for the Live and Online formats for the Paralegal Certificate Course©.
Click Here for More Info.

Highly Recommended Legal Resources:

• Oran’s Dictionary of the Law, 4th Edition

Required textbooks for the DVD format are:

• Paralegal Procedures and Practices, by Scott and Lisa Hatch
• A Paralegal Primer, 3rd edition, by Scott and Lisa Hatch
• Paralegal Career for Dummies, by Scott and Lisa Hatch
• Federal Civil Rules Booklet
• Sample Pages: Illustrations of Organization and Research Techniques in West Group Publications, 4th edition by West Group
• WESTLAW online legal research access, available for only $89.00. Order Online
• Order DVD Books Online

Highly Recommended Legal Resources:

• Introduction to Paralegalism, 7th Edition by William Statsky
• Oran’s Dictionary of the Law, 4th Edition
• Uniform System of Citation, most current edition
• Order Online

WESTLAW® online legal research access is required for CLS students taking the Paralegal Certificate Course© in the following formats:

• Live lecture - Required for duration of course.
• Online - Required for the second half of the paralegal online course, access valid for a maximum of 7 weeks.
• DVD - Required for the second half of the paralegal DVD course, access valid for a maximum of 60 days.
• WESTLAW® is optional for those students taking the Text-Only format of the course. If you have access to the Internet, we highly recommend purchasing WESTLAW® online legal research access. Access lasts for 60 days from date of activation and you must be currently enrolled to purchase.
• WESTLAW online legal research access, available for only $89.00. Order Online