Paralegal / Legal Assistant / Lawyer's Assistant Online Certificate Program

UW Oshkosh's Continuing Education and Extension Office, in partnership with Midwest Paralegal Studies, offers a 12-month paralegal certificate of completion. The five-part, generalist program provides a comprehensive overview of all the paralegal roles and responsibilities.

This program will help you:

Learn about the law
Start a new career
Upgrade your skills

The paralegal certificate program will resume summer 2012. All course information will remain the same.

Courses will begin June 7, 2012. All prospective students must e-mail the instructor, Zoran Pervanovich, prior to registration. Email Zoran at zoran1990@juno.com. You are also invited to learn more through the free, online orientation seminar. Get direct feedback from the program instructor! Visit www.paralegalstudies.com.

Who Can Enroll

This professional program is recommended for those in the legal profession seeking advancement or for someone interested in a career change. It is open to anyone with a high school diploma/GED.

Read about Nyoka Croxton, a recent graduate of the Paralegal Certificate Program!

All prospective students must email the instructor for advising registering. Email Zoran Pervanovich at zoran1990@juno.com.

Flexible Study

This is an online tutoring program designed to let you work at a pace comfortable for your busy lifestyle. It begins with a free, one-hour orientation seminar held online.

Program Overview

The certificate program includes a total of five classes, each lasting seven weeks. Classes are designed to meet the needs of both novices and those currently working in the legal field and looking to upgrade their skills. You will learn how to:

Research and write a legal office memo
Explore and investigate a legal specialty
Learn the procedures of a local court system
Understand the management of a law office
Develop strategies for a paralegal job search

How the Program Works

Students will access all of the lectures and study materials they will need weekly online and via email. Additional individual tutoring will be furnished to each student during the course of the program as needed. Flexible scheduling allows you to work at your own pace. Take individual courses to upgrade your skills or work toward completing a certificate.

Courses may be taken in any order at the start of each class term. However, we recommend students take courses in the order in which they are listed below. The first start date for all five courses is June 7, 2012.

Note: All five courses are offered each term with the same starting date.

Earning the Certificate

A certificate of completion will be presented by UW Oshkosh to those who complete all five courses in the series. You can choose to enroll in one or more individual courses, but you will not receive a certificate until you have completed all five courses in the series.

Course Descriptions and Start Dates:

Is The Paralegal Career Right For You? FREE

Paralegal, legal assistant, lawyer’s assistant are all titles used interchangeably to describe individuals who work with attorneys and other professionals in the field of law. Our Paralegal Certificate Program is explained in this free information course online at www.paralegalstudies.com/free_orientation.htm.

Paralegal Research (seven weeks) $195

This course presents an overview of entry-level, paralegal research and writing tools. All students will access law resources online and at the local library once a week for specific assignments. In addition, each student will write an office legal memo using legal techniques and current rules of law applying the same to support a conclusion based upon the IRAC reasoning technique. All work must be submitted online.

June 7, 2012 (online registration is coming soon!)

Paralegal Jurisprudence (seven weeks) $195

This course presents an overview of the paralegal profession including many of the more popular entry-level areas of legal specialization (family, corporate, probate, real estate and many others). All students will be required to select and pursue at least one specialty area and write a twelve-part report for substantive career development. Each student will also be required to take weekly quizzes and a final exam online.

June 7, 2012 (online registration is coming soon!)

Paralegal Litigation (seven weeks) $195

This course presents an overview of litigation and trial support used by entry level practicing paralegals in daily procedural work. All students will be required to visit a local court system and investigate the procedures of pre-trial, trial, post-trial and appeals. In addition, each student will be asked to make a presentation of the court visit and complete a selected deposition abstract online.

June 7, 2012 (online registration is coming soon!)

Paralegal Management (seven weeks) $195

This course is an overview of the paralegal office manager at work. All students will be required to network/mentor with an entry level, practicing paralegal in the field and acquire information on the organization of law firms, corporations and/or government legal departments in order to complete a presentation for class. All quizzes and the final exam will be taken online.

February 2, 2012 Register Online (for current students only)
June 7, 2012 (online registration is coming soon!)

Paralegal Career (seven weeks) $195

This course presents an overview of paralegal job search/portfolio method and will help you identify special legal skills that are part of your unique niche in the paralegal market. All students will be required to compose a 15-section paralegal career portfolio and explore three job leads in a local law practice in order to complete a class presentation. Each student will also post a Résumé online at the end of class.

February 2, 2012 Register Online (for current students only)
April 5, 2012 (for current students only)
June 7, 2012 (online registration is coming soon!)

Cost/Fees

The cost to complete the five-course certificate series is $975 total or $195 per course (includes all study materials). The courses may be taken in any order at the start of each class term.

Registration Deadline

Your registration is requested 10 days prior to each course. After that date, call the Continuing Education and Extension Office to determine course availability.

About the Instructor

Mr. Zoran V. Perovanovich has been a paralegal educator and consultant for more than 20 years in the tri-state area. He is the founder and instructor of Midwest Paralegal Studies and is dedicated to coordinating flexible, low-cost, entry-level paralegal tutoring across the country.