Paralegal Certificate
There is a nonrefundable application fee of $50 to declare candidacy in this program.
Learn more about the Paralegal Certificate program.
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Paralegal Certificate
ABA-APPROVED PROGRAM
Paralegals perform a variety of legal tasks under the direction and supervision of an attorney in various settings, including law firms, corporations, and government agencies. UCR Extension's Paralegal Certificate program, established in cooperation with the UC Davis School of Law, is an American Bar Association-approved program that provides a rigorous and challenging legal education. The program consists of an intensive curriculum combining legal theory with the practical skills required of paralegals. Our instructors are experienced attorneys and paralegals and undergo a rigorous academic approval process.
Who Can Benefit?
This program is designed for individuals who want to enter the legal field, make a career change, or who are already working in a business or legal environment and want to enhance their legal knowledge and skills through a formalized course of study. Students are cautioned regarding restrictions against the unauthorized practice of law by lay persons.
Read a student success story.
Course Schedule
| Required Courses (24 units) | Units | Fall | Winter | Spring | Summer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fundamentals of Law for the Legal Professional | 4.0 |  | | | |
| Legal Research and Writing I | 4.0 | | | ||
| Legal Research and Writing II | 4.0 | | | ||
| Civil Litigation and Procedures | 4.0 | | |||
| Contract Law | 3.0 | | |||
| Tort Law | 3.0 | | |||
| Ethics for the Legal Professional | 2.0 | | | ||
| Elective Courses (7 units) | Units | Fall | Winter | Spring | Summer |
| Business Law | 3.0 | ||||
| Overview of Fiduciary Management | 2.0 | | | ||
| California Water Law | 3.0 | | |||
| Computer Legal Research Using LexisNexis | 1.0 | | |||
| Constitutional Law | 3.0 | ||||
| Construction Law | 2.0 | ||||
| Elder Law | 2.0 | ||||
| Electronic File Management for Paralegals | 3.0 | ||||
| Employment Law | 2.0 | | |||
| Family Law | 3.0 | | |||
| Immigration and Naturalization Law and Procedure | 2.0 | ||||
| Introduction to Criminal Law and Procedure | 3.0 | | | ||
| Landlord-Tenant Law | 2.0 | ||||
| Medical Malpractice Law | 2.0 | ||||
| Paralegal Internship | 3.0 | | | | |
| Probate Practices and Procedures | 3.0 | | |||
| Real Property Law | 3.0 | ||||
| Rules of Evidence | 3.0 | | |||
| Law Office Management for Paralegals | 3.0 | | |||
| Trial Preparation | 3.0 | ||||
| Alternative Dispute Resolution | 2.0 | | |||
| Bankruptcy Law and Procedure | 3.0 | | | ||
| Insurance Law | 2.0 | |
Completion Information
Completion Requirements
To earn the certificate, students must successfully complete (grade C or better) a total of 31 quarter units: 24 required units and seven elective units.
Completion Time
The certificate program can typically be completed in 15 months.
Cost
The cost for the certificate program ranges from approximately $6,125 to $6,500. This does not include textbooks or materials unless otherwise noted.
Admission Requirements
Students must:
- Possess a bachelor's degree or an associate degree (some vocational associates excluded) from an accredited postsecondary institution
- Have completed a minimum of 40 semester units (or 59 quarter units) of college coursework, including a minimum of 18 semester units (or 27 quarter units) of general education courses in at least three different disciplines, such as social and behavioral sciences, English literature and composition, foreign languages, mathematics, fine arts and humanities, and natural sciences. Official transcripts required. Courses may be earned concurrent to the Paralegal Studies program if conditional admission is granted.
OR
Transfer Credit
Students may transfer up to three units from comparable courses offered by other ABA-approved accredited institutions. Official transcript is required.
Instructors
Instructors
- Barry C. Hofeld, J.D., Senior Deputy District Attorney, in the Child Recovery Unit of the Riverside County District Attorney's Office, Retired
- Paymon Bidari, J.D., Deputy County Counsel, San Bernardino County
- Orlando E. Blake Jr., Ph.D., CPT, President, The Blake Group, Elgin, Arizona
- Dennis L. Boyer, A.A., Director, Future Trac Associate, Riverside
- Richard B. Bracken, Esq., Immigration Attorney, R. Bracken & Associates, Rialto
- Cynthia Brewer, J.D., Deputy District Attorney, Riverside County District Attorney's office Cyrus "Jack" Lemmon, J.D., Retired, San Bernardino
- Dan Daniel, M.A., B.S.L., J.D., Court Investigator, San Bernardino Superor Court.
- Mark R. Devey, J.D., Associate Attorney, Bonnie R. Moss & Associates, Riverside
- C L Farrell, Attorney at Law, Law Offices of C L Farrell, P.C., Redlands
- Paeter E. Garcia, Esq., Best Best & Krieger, LLP, Riverside
- Alan Green, J.D., Deputy County Counsel, San Bernardino County
- Cathy Inglis, Paralegal, Program Liaison and Internship Faculty, Riverside
- Cyrus "Jack" Lemmon, J.D., Retired
- Eileen S. Lemmon, R.N., M.S., Esq., Attorney at Law, Reback, McAndrews & Kjar, LLP, San Bernardino
- Elizabeth A. Lossing, J.D., Trial Attorney, U.S. Trustees Program, U.S. Department of Justice, Riverside
- Joseph T. Ortiz, J.D., Attorney at Law, Best Best & Krieger, LLP, Riverside
- Hirbod Rashidi, J.D., Attorney at Law, Riverside County Department of Child Support Services
- Thomas L. Watkins, Esq., Law Office of Thomas Watkins, Banning
Instructor Opportunities
Interested in becoming an instructor at UCR Extension? Find out how.
Additional Information
Textbook Information
If a textbook is required, information is provided in the course listing when scheduled, on the confirmation you receive after enrolling, or by e-mail for an online class.
Certification
In the working environment, professional certification is a time honored process respected by both employers and those within the career field.
Professional certification is optional. The NALA Certifying Board for Paralegals is responsible for content, standards and the administration professional paralegal certification. The UCR Extension ABA-approved certificate curriculum meets the educational criteria that is required prior to applying for NALA certification. For details about the NALA certification process and to apply, please visit their web site at www.nala.org.
Specific Goals and Explicit Objectives of the Program
- To provide a quality, rigorous and challenging legal education to qualified individuals;
- To enhance the legal knowledge and skills through a formalized course of study for those who want to enter the legal field, make a career change, or who are already working in a business or legal environment;
- To maintain the highest academic, ethical and professional standards of the legal profession.
Advisory Board
- Dennis Boyer, Paralegal, Sabbah & Mackoul, Riverside
- Cynthia Brewer, Esq., Senior Deputy District Attorney, Riverside County District Attorney's Office
- Molly W. Carpenter, Retired Teacher, Riverside
-
Mark Devey, Esq, Bonnie R. Moss & Assoc., Riverside
- Dawn M. DuRocher, ACP, Senior Paralegal/Paralegal Manager, Lobb Cliff & Lester, LLP, Riverside
- B. Curt Hofeld, Esq., Retired Senior Deputy District Attorney, Riverside County District Attorney's Office
- Cathy Inglis, Paralegal, Program Liaison and Internship Faculty, Riverside
-
Elizabeth Lossing, Esq., United States Bankruptcy Court, Riverside
- Elizabeth Sullivan Miller, Paralegal, Riverside County District Attorney's Office
- Honorable John Pacheco, San Bernardino Superior Court
-
Sandra T. Richards, Academic Director, Science, Law and Humanities programs, UCR Extension
- Michele Setzer, Paralegal, Riverside County District Attorney's Office
- Jennifer Clifton Sullivan, Riverside County Department of Child Support Services
Contact Information
Stacy Sweeney
(951) 827-5804
ssweeney@ucx.ucr.edu
