Boston University Online Paralegal Certificate Program: A Comprehensive Guide

Boston University's online Paralegal Certificate Program is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in the paralegal field. This program is a focused and convenient way to develop essential skills and gain a competitive edge in your paralegal career search.

Program Overview

The online Paralegal Certificate Program at Boston University combines academic rigor with the flexibility of online learning. The curriculum is comprehensive, covering everything from the technology and tools used by paralegals to the nuances of various areas of law. The coursework is designed to help aspiring paralegals develop the specific professional know-how that employers seek. Those already in the field can also benefit by learning new foundational legal knowledge and further developing their research and writing skills.

Key Benefits

The program offers a number of distinct benefits to its students, including:

Interaction with BU Instructors: Learn from practicing attorneys who bring their expertise into the classroom.
Affordable Price: The program offers an all-inclusive, affordable price.
Intensive Course of Study: The program can be completed in 14 weeks.
Technology Module: Gain hands-on experience in the latest software utilized by paralegals.
Professional Network: Access a community of peers in the field to help you expand your professional network.
Virtual Office Hours: Access virtual office hours with each module. No appointment needed.
Flexible Online Format: Complete paralegal courses from anywhere in a convenient online format.

Curriculum

The online Paralegal Certificate Program consists of seven, two-week modules that make up the fundamental coursework. The paralegal certificate can be earned in fourteen weeks upon the successful completion of these modules:

Legal Research
Legal Writing and Reasoning
Legal Technologies
Real Estate Law
Business Law
Litigation
Probate and Family Law

Course Descriptions

Legal Research: This module teaches students how to research both online via WestlawNext and in traditional legal sources. Students will learn to research in each of the five primary sources of law: the constitution; case law; statutory law; regulatory law; and executive orders. They learn the hierarchical court structures for both the federal and state systems. Students learn how to utilize each court's respective reporter series, as well as the Massachusetts Digest and the Federal Practice Digest. Additionally, students are instructed on both federal and state statutory and regulatory law, and they learn how to utilize the respective legislative and administrative codes. The instructor then challenges students with hypothetical situations that require them to implement their newfound research tool by finding case, statutory, or regulatory law and systematically applying these laws to the issues presented in the hypothetical situations. Access to WestlawNext is included at no additional charge for the two modules that require it.
Legal Writing and Reasoning: This module focuses on understanding the logic and rationale behind legal writing. Through a series of writing assignments, students will be introduced to the manner in which lawyers reason. Students will be introduced to the distinction between a factual issue and a legal issue, they will be taught to write case briefs, and they will be instructed in the IRAC (Issue, Rule, Application, Conclusion) style of legal writing analysis. In addition, students will be introduced to the concepts of precedential and persuasive authorities. In a final paper, students must synthesize the facts in a hypothetical situation with four case holdings and statutory law.
Legal Technologies: This module covers both established and cutting-edge skills, concepts, and tools relating to the use of technology by legal professionals. Practical skills such as electronic filing are discussed, along with important legal topics such as the retrieval of electronically stored information (ESI) in lawsuits. Students are trained on Microsoft Excel in the legal context. Current developments in artificial intelligence in the legal profession are addressed. The important new area of project management for paralegals is discussed, along with practical applications and exercises. In addition, the curriculum covers the functions and legal advantages/disadvantages of Blockchains, cryptocurrencies, cybersecurity, digital assets / Non-fungible Tokens, PACER software and CaseMap.
Real Estate Law: In this module, students will learn real estate law in relation to how property is held and how it is transferred. Students learn the importance of the Offer to Purchase, its contents, how to read the offer and incorporate it into the Purchase and Sale Agreement. Other topics include pre-closing items-what they are, how to obtain them, how to review them, and the specific role each plays at the closing. All aspects of real estate closings are covered, including how to prepare deeds and other documents, title searches, title abstracts, certifications of title and title insurance, run downs, payoffs, and recording requirements. A focus of this course is the preparation of the HUD Settlement Statement where students calculate all the buyer's and seller's closing figures as well as the final distribution of proceeds from the sale, taking into account all charges, payoffs, and commissions. Students will prepare for a hypothetical closing using conveyancing software. Other topics include categories of real property, ownership restrictions, legal descriptions of property, liens on property, due diligence, leases and environmental issues. In addition, students are encouraged to visit a Registry of Deeds.
Business Law: This module is designed to provide students with an introduction to the substantive area of corporate/business law, and the practical skills necessary to serve as a corporate paralegal. Students will learn about the legal formation and functioning of various business entities, including corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies; as well as learn to distinguish the formation, liability, and taxation attributes of these business entities. Through the lens of current events, students will also learn about the intersection of politics and business law; and receive a comprehensive introduction to corporate finance and securities regulation, an overview of Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code, and highlights of intellectual property law. Detailed analysis of business law transactions will help students gain the requisite legal knowledge and practical skills necessary to assist attorneys with various corporate transactions.
Litigation: Students in the Litigation module will learn the most frequently employed civil discovery devices and some strategic aspects of discovery. This session begins with an overview of the litigation process from investigation to filing a lawsuit, Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and various common law and statutory privileges against disclosure, including marital privilege, the work product doctrine, and the attorney-client privilege. The course will place an emphasis on the use of interrogatories, requests for production of documents, depositions, and independent medical examinations. Students will also be given an overview of summary judgment and the role of experts in preparing a case for trial. Students will review the rules and then read and analyze case law interpreting discovery issues. Students will be given various discovery materials and a hypothetical fact pattern. They will then be asked to prepare responsive documents. The instructor will provide technical education as well as "practice pointers" and strategic aspects of the discovery process.
Probate and Family Law: The Probate and Family Law module has four main areas of concentration: Estate Planning, Law of Same Sex Marriage, Divorce Law, and Estate Administration. In the Estate Planning section, students learn about wills and what happens if one dies without a will. A case study illustrates a typical chain of legal events that may unfold after a death. In the Law of Same Sex Marriage section, students undergo a review of the landmark Supreme Court decision and gain an understanding of the procedural path of this issue through state and federal courts. In the Divorce Law section, students learn the basics of divorce law, including child custody, alimony, and division of marital estates. Finally, in the Estate Administration section, students learn what executors and administrators do and explore the role of the paralegal in estate administration. Throughout the class, students will be exposed to the forms used in the national probate and family law courts, which are similar to those in other jurisdictions.

Program Structure and Time Commitment

The course can be accessed at the time of day that suits each student best, and there are no scheduled lectures. Each two-week module contains assignments and assessments that must be submitted by stated deadlines in the course. Because of this, it is important that students keep up with the program. In other words, the program is a combination of synchronous and asynchronous deadlines. Each module has to be completed in the assigned two week time frame, but when you do the work in that two week period is up to your discretion. To help students stay on track, faculty offer virtual office hours for each module. You can simply log in using the live classroom link, with no appointment needed. Students should be prepared to spend 10-14 hours per week on each module.

Who Should Enroll?

The online Paralegal Studies Program offers students an opportunity to build on existing skills or set the framework for expansion into an entirely new career path. It is a perfect fit for students from a wide variety of backgrounds, including:

Individuals with an undergraduate degree in another discipline who would like to change their current career path and pursue a job as a paralegal.
Professionals in administrative positions within the legal field (secretary, clerk, etc.) that might be looking to move up in their career.
Paralegals who would like to update their skills or earn an advanced certificate from a prestigious, nationally recognized institution.
Recent college graduates considering law school.
International students.

Paralegal vs. Legal Assistant

It's important to understand the distinction between a paralegal and a legal assistant. Paralegals typically handle more substantive legal work, such as performing legal research, drafting motions and pleadings, organizing discovery, and supporting attorneys as they prepare for hearings and trials. They perform this work under the supervision of licensed attorneys. Most importantly, paralegals bill clients for their time, meaning they generate revenue for the firms in which they work.

Legal assistants usually focus on administrative support, such as managing calendars, organizing files, handling client communications, and assisting with basic legal tasks. In many offices, especially smaller firms, these titles and job duties can overlap. Both roles benefit from a strong foundation in legal research, writing, and understanding court procedures.

Technology and AI in the Legal Field

The Legal Technologies module addresses current developments in artificial intelligence in the legal profession. While AI is evolving, rigorous accuracy remains at the heart of the legal profession. The program emphasizes key technological aptitudes such as docket searching, electronic filing in lawsuits, the application of Microsoft Excel to legal problems, advanced internet research, and cybersecurity. The program also covers firm practice management software tools, such as Clio.

Is ABA Approval Necessary?

Boston University has successfully been teaching a comprehensive program for more than 30 years, and ABA approval of Paralegal Certificate is not the accepted standard. ABA approval is primarily associated with schools of law, rather than paralegal programs. Most employers seeking to hire paralegals place more value on the reputation of Boston University and the Paralegal Studies Program than ABA approval, which is obtained for a fee. BU’s program curriculum focuses on building practical skill sets applicable on day one, rather than the theory and evolution behind the law.

Technical Requirements

The program can run on either a Mac or PC, but it is suggested that students not attempt to complete coursework on a tablet. The Blackboard system does not allow students to submit assignments or take exams (among other functions) from a tablet environment.

Certification vs. Certificate

Upon successful completion of the BU online Paralegal Certificate Program, students will have earned a Paralegal Certificate from Boston University, identifying them as having met the established academic requirements of BU. Boston University is internationally known for its high academic standards.

Certification is a designation awarded by an outside entity separate from a certificate that may require further testing and experience, but such certification is neither an industry nor governmental standard for paralegals. Boston University encourages interested students to check with potential employers and their own state’s licensing offices for their own requirements and is not aware of any states which currently require third-party certification of this type to work in the paralegal field.

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