Responding to student demand for advanced legal education, the University of South Florida鈥檚 Paralegal Specialty Certificates provide aspiring paralegals 鈥� as well as those already in the industry 鈥� an avenue to gain expertise in areas such as bankruptcy, immigration, elder law, and more. Participants in the online training programs are able to refine their expertise and prepare for advancement in the paralegal profession.
The Paralegal Specialty Certificates are an excellent addition for individuals who have completed USF鈥檚 Paralegal Certificate or a similar program. They鈥檙e also a great option for lawyers or paralegals with at least four years of experience who want to brush up their knowledge on a specific area of law.
Offered online, these specialty certificates are open to anyone working in the industry or those who are preparing for the field; participants do not need to be 哔咔漫画 students in order to register.
Program Options
Bankruptcy Law
The bankruptcy law concentration is an excellent choice to learn all about debt elimination. Students will complete Bankruptcy Law and Family Law classes.
Elder Law
Elder law is a great option for those interested in assisting seniors with special needs, addressing healthcare, estate planning, and more. Classes include Elder Law Wills and Trusts and Estates.
Employment Law
Participants in this program learn about employee safety, wages, unemployment, and other labor policies through classes such as Employment Law and Administrative Law.
Healthcare Law
Through classes in Healthcare Law and Tort Law, students learn how to navigate healthcare environments with clinicians, patients, insurers, and hospitals.
Immigration Law
Immigration law offers a pathway to specialize in reuniting families, immigrant admission, refugee protection, and promoting diversity. Classes include Immigration Law and Constitutional Law.
Intellectual Property Law
Dive deeper into the laws that protect owners' rights to inventions, writing, music, designs, and other creations through Intellectual Property Law and Contract Law classes.
Law Office Administration
Law Office Administration and Family Law classes help students master the daily operations of a law office, including handling human resources activities, overseeing facilities, and managing bookkeeping.
Litigation
The Litigation concentration includes classes in Evidence and Constitutional Law that teach students the skills necessary for conducting investigations, legal research, and initial case assessments.
Personal Injury Law
Tort Law and Evidence classes provide students with the skills to handle claims for injuries or accidents caused by another party.
Real Estate Law
Gain the knowledge necessary to provide legal support to real estate lawyers, realtors, corporations, and banks. Classes include Real Estate Law and Contract Law.
Personalized Learning Experience
Each specialty certificate includes two required classes and a Legal Ethics or eDiscovery class to satisfy the elective requirement.
The eDiscovery class dives into the process of recovering, searching, organizing, and analyzing data on computers, hard drives, and other digital storage devices for use as evidence in court.
Students can complete the classes completely online at their own pace and learn from a distinguished faculty of legal professionals. Every participant receives one-on-one attention and is assigned a judge mentor and facilitator to help guide them through the program.
鈥淭he Paralegal Specialty Certificate classes are designed by the curriculum designers and taught and administered by the judge instructors and advisors who lead our traditional Paralegal Certificate program,鈥� said Lisa Orr, program advisor. 鈥淭here is excellent continuity for our past students and an assurance of quality for new students.鈥�
Regardless of which path students choose, they emerge from the program ready to tackle the legal world. With a specialized certificate, graduates have the credentials to distinguish themselves as highly qualified job candidates and a USF digital badge for their social media profiles, including LinkedIn.
Registration is available on an open enrollment basis, with no application required. To learn more about the Paralegal Specialty Certificates or to speak with an advisor for more information, visit the website or contact Lisa Orr at lisaorr@usf.edu.