WHY HAMLINE?
QUALITY.
Hamline’s paralegal certificate is approved by the American Bar Association
(ABA), a national hallmark of excellence and required by many companies. Hamline’s unique
pairing of practical legal training and the liberal arts, combined with the
program's ABA approval and recognition in the community, makes
Hamline's paralegal education highly valued by employers. Hamline is a
leader in law education, and students have access to up-to-the-minute legal
resources, a first-class law library, and an
incredible array of electronic resources. Hamline's paralegal program has been in existence since 1984, giving students a large group of alumni to network with and establishing Hamline's reputation in the legal community.
CONVENIENCE. Classes
are offered on both on Hamline’s beautiful urban campus in Saint Paul
and at the modern Minneapolis location in St. Louis Park. Both daytime and
evening classes are available.
CAREER PREPARATION. Students have the opportunity to
network and increase professional development through membership in LEX, a
national paralegal honor society; participation in the Hamline University
Paralegal Society; and the required completion of a paralegal internship at one
of countless Twin Cities’ law firms, businesses, government agencies, and
nonprofit organizations.
“Hamline’s
paralegals exude energy, effort and confidence. We have been pleased to
have
Hamline’s paralegal interns at our firm as they are truly prepared to engage in
the legal profession.”
Gloria
Contreras Edin, Attorney at Law, Contreras Edin & Associates
THE PARALEGAL PROGRAM AT A GLANCE
Number of credits: 32.
16 credits of required coursework, 12 credits from a menu of ABA-approved legal
specialty courses, and four (4) credits of additional legal specialty or
law-related electives. For details about the requirements, students can refer
to the Paralegal Certificate Advising Sheet or the Hamline Bulletin, the official source of program
requirements.
Time to complete: 9-12 months, or longer if
desired.
Cost: $551 per credit. Financial aid is
available.
Curriculum: Hamline paralegal certificate graduates will be able to
- Produce
reasoned legal analysis.
- Demonstrate
writing and speaking skills necessary to communicate in professional and
academic legal settings.
- Demonstrate
mastery of legal citation.
- Demonstrate
knowledge of technology relevant to the legal profession.
- Locate
primary and secondary legal resources using print and electronic tools.
- Fulfill
legal and general ethical obligations in academic and professional
settings.
- Evaluate
legal issues in diverse cultural contexts.
WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH A HAMLINE PARALEGAL CERTIFICATE
In addition to paralegal positions in corporate offices, law firms, and government or nonprofit entities, Hamline's recent certificate recipients have found employment as:
- International Justice Program Associate at the Advocated for Human Rights
- Diversity and Pro Bono Coordinator at Robins, Kaplan, Miller, & Ciresi L.L.P.
- HR/Legal Compliance at SMC Ltd. (Medtech Manufacturing)
- Compliance and Contracts Administration at OATI (Open Access Technology International)
- Energy Software Solutions PB
- Leave Management Coordinator at the Minnesota Department of Human Services
- Company Administrator at Cargill
- Senior Initiatives Coordinator at Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services
- IT Business Analyst at Mystic Lake Casino
- Director of Legal Research at BMC Group
FIND OUT MORE OR APPLY
Postbaccalaureate Students
Postbaccalaureate
students - students who have an undergraduate degree, but who want to return
to school to further develop their skills and advance their careers -- can earn
a Paralegal Certificate from Hamline. The program can be completed according to
your schedule; earn your certificate in as little as 9 months, or spread out
your courses over several years.
REQUEST INFORMATION from the Graduate Admission office.
ATTEND AN INFO SESSION
HOW TO REGISTER for the paralegal certificate postbaccalaureate program at Hamline. APPLY for the postbaccalaureate paralegal certificate program.
Undergraduate Students
The Legal Studies
Department offers the Paralegal Certificate to undergraduate students not as a
major, but as an addition to an academic major in Legal Studies, or any
other discipline. Interested undergraduate students should contact their
academic advisor for more information.
Notice of Completion form
The Paralegal
Certificate Notice of Completion form provides official notice to the paralegal certificate program of
your intent to complete a paralegal certificate. The form must be received in
the Legal Studies Department by the end of the semester prior to the semester of your completion. A $25 late fee will be applied to your
student account if the Notice of Completion is received after the due date. Refer
to the Notice of Completion form for specific due dates. Please review
this form with your adviser during your final advising appointment
and submit it either electronically or in hard copy as directed on
the form.
*Paralegals
may not provide legal services directly to clients or to the public, except as
permitted by law. A paralegal certificate does not qualify the recipient to sit
for the bar examination or work as a lawyer.