Practice Area Concentration Certificate

Formal agreements between two or more parties usually involve contracts.

Paralegals who have a working knowledge of the procedures for incorporating a business and the documentation necessary to maintain the corporate structure are at a distinct advantage.

In criminal work, it is not only property or money at stake. It is a defendant’s freedom. Whether working for a defense attorney or a government entity, the paralegal can be part of the process that requires that accused individuals be given a fair trial. Paralegal today conduct interviews, perform research, help to prepare documents for trial, and many other crucial duties on behalf of the supervising attorney.

Family law paralegals are in great demand. The paralegal is often the primary contact between the law firm and the client. Students will learn special interview considerations, drafting, premarital agreement, researching family court rules and much more.

Areas of law that are either “procedure – heavy” or “document-intensive” tend to be great areas of employment for paralegals. Bankruptcy is both! Paralegals enable law firms to handle more clients, more efficiently, and to provide better client service. A paralegal’s role in bankruptcy is critical.

General intellectual property paralegal positions are growing at a high rate. In addition, patent administration is one of the fastest growing and highest paid areas of legal administration. Qualified patent paralegals (also called patent specialist or patent secretaries) are in high demand and can earn up to 50% more than the average paralegal!

Every concert, television show, movie, song played on radio, play, sporting event, movie, and every other form of entertainment today is guided by legal agreements. More than ever the media entertainment is saturated by the law, seeking to ensure the interests of artists and performers.

Immigration is the single fastest growing specialty area of law for paralegals. As the global marketplace expands, the need for legal services related to immigration will continue to grow, and paralegal job opportunities should increase. Immigration is an ever more pervasive legal aspect for businesses, the government, families, and individuals in our society.

Whether drafting a will or helping to administer a trust, attorneys appreciate the role of paralegals in estate planning and administration. Wills allow a person to dictate what will be done with her or her property after death. Trusts involve the administration of funds from an estate in a pre-determined fashion. Probate is the process of enforcing wills, estate planning, and established trusts through the courts.

Employment law encompasses contractual agreements, duties of the employer and rights of the employee, harassment issues, race discrimination, age discrimination, sex discrimination, and sexual orientation discrimination, and, of course issues related to termination.

Paralegals are the perfect tool for the drafting of sales contracts, leases, and property management agreements. There are also more newly evolved legal issues related to restrictive covenants, lease-holds, and home – owner associations that make legal representation ever present in real estate matters.

Litigation is the largest single are of employment for Paralegals. It involves helping an attorney prepare for, conduct, and potentially appeal the results of a trial. More and more, alternative forms of conflict resolution are encompassed within the realm of litigation specialist, such as arbitration, mediation, and even the new concept of “mini-trials.”