Online courses for paralegal training have not yet become as prevalent as other courses on the web. There are still many aspects of it that have to be studied in regular classrooms. However, their presence is being felt.
Coursework Overview
The core subjects in paralegal training schools center on their duties. Chiefly they assist lawyers in drafting readings, researching cases and getting motions ready. Candidates learn how to work for government agencies, law firms and lawyers. They get training on basic aspects of the law.
Understanding of the US criminal justice system is also necessary. Part of their training is analysis and valuation of the law. Other required subjects are wills, trusts and estates. Mandatory also are constitutional law, business law civil procedure and law office management.
Optional courses are in family law and legal advocacy. The latter course is designed for students who want to help those who are mentally challenged, physically disabled, the elderly and poor. Other core courses are about intellectual property, bankruptcy law, employment and uniform commercial code. Contracts are also included in the curriculum.
Other subjects are about career management and financial accounting. Business classes are mandatory in these schools. You may also take up some online programs on ethics, criminal and matrimonial law. Students also have to learn about trial preparation and litigation.
Additional Details
These programs may take several months to complete. It depends on the program the student is taking up. In some colleges you need to complete 30 credit hours. This is in addition to the coursework hours they should complete in college.
The subjects are history, communication, math and science. Other subjects that have to be studied are immigration law, torts and insurance. Students must also learn about legal research and writing. There are also subjects on arbitration, mediation and ways to settle disputes.
Other Information
In other paralegal training colleges, they are known as legal assistants. Even though the descriptions vary, their roles are the same. Those who are taking an associate in applied science degree have to undergo an internship. This will take a hundred hours at least in a legal setting. There are also certificate programs. The latter takes half a year to finish.
Online courses for paralegal training may cover many subjects in depth. But for the most part, live classes are still necessary. However, the number of lessons that you can take on the web are not on the increase.