PDI and partner The Washington Online Learning Institute offers a series of Specialized Paralegal Certificate Programs for paralegals and legal staff who wish to expand their knowledge of specific areas of the law. Each specialized curriculum is designed to focus very sharply on a particular subject area, and will build upon and complement your existing knowledge to make you a more valuable member of your legal team.
The Specialized Paralegal Certificate Programs are combinations of courses that are offered online of Continuing Legal Education (CLE) courses. Each program includes a selection of carefully selected courses that complement one another.
Upon successful completion of a program, students are awarded Specialized Paralegal Certificate.
Sessions start every four weeks. Calendar coming soon!
| Program Length | Tuition |
| Two Months | $1,175 |
| Three Months | $1,675 |
Private Student loans are available from Sallie Mae. To apply, follow these steps:
Go to www.salliemae.com. Click on the orange "apply now" button. Select Texas and then Professional Development Institute from the drop down menus. Accept the terms and proceed with completing the application.
If you have any questions, please contact Tami Russell at 866.374.0876 or trussell@pdi.org.
Tuition Includes:
The paralegal professional who works in a real estate or corporate law department of a law firm or business must be well versed in basic business law as well as real estate law. This specialized program provides a comprehensive overview of the law of business organizations, including corporations, limited liability companies, and partnerships, as well as other business forms. Since most business involves the use of contracts, this specialized program also provides a four-week intensive study of contract law, including a study of how contracts are used in the business world. Finally, this program provides a four-week study of real estate law, an extremely important field in the world of commerce. Students who successfully complete this program will receive a Specialized Certificate in Business and Real Estate Law.
Textbooks: All textbooks are included in the tuition for this specialized certificate program.
Module 1: Business Organizations
This course provides the student with a basic understanding of business organizations. Corporations, partnerships, sole proprietorships, as well as LLP's and LLC's, are compared and contrasted. Students form a theoretical corporation, and prepare a number of documents including Articles of Incorporation, Partnership Agreement, By-laws, Minutes, and Shareholder's Agreements.
Module 2: Contracts Law
This course presents a comprehensive, well-organized, functional approach to the law of contracts. The students learns to analyze agreements and how to determine whether or not a contract has been formed, what law applies, whether the contract is enforceable, whether or not a party has breached, and, if so, what remedies are available to the aggrieved party. The approach is very practical, and prepares the student for contract work in the legal, business, or government environment. An essential course.
Module 3: Real Estate Law
This course explores the theory and history of real estate transactions. Students gain a working knowledge of contracts, deeds, mortgages and title reports. The student has the opportunity to handle a theoretical real estate transaction from beginning to end. Many paralegal professionals are gainfully employed in real estate offices where they supervise closings and financings. This course is also valuable for brokers, agents, managers and other real estate professionals.
Module 1: Contracts
This course presents a comprehensive, well-organized, functional approach to the law of contracts. The students learns to analyze agreements and how to determine whether or not a contract has been formed, what law applies, whether the contract is enforceable, whether or not a party has breached, and, if so, what remedies are available to the aggrieved party. The approach is very practical, and prepares the student for contract work in the legal, business, or government environment. An essential course.
Module 2: Bankruptcy
Paralegals are in high demand in the field of debtor-creditor law. This course acquaints the student with the three most common forms of bankruptcy: Chapters 7, 11, and 13. The student learns the law of bankruptcy and develops practical experience becoming familiar with documents commonly used in bankruptcy practice. Students learn about the valuable role of paralegal professionals in a successful bankruptcy practice.
This course includes a thorough review of the new bankruptcy laws, which came into effect in 2005. Changes include a requirement that the debtor have counseling before they can file a bankruptcy case, and a "means test" now requires all debtors to meet a more rigorous income and asset standard before being qualified to file. The new law also imposes new requirements on lawyers, and by extension, the paralegals who do most of the bankruptcy work. These changes, and others, are reviewed in this course.
Module 3: Insurance Law
Insurance is a major economic element in both personal and business planning. This course is intended to educate the paralegal in the practicalities of the complex field of insurance law. The student will come to recognize the variety of viewpoints within the industry: insurer, insured and intermediary. Paralegal students will also become familiar with key concepts in property and liability coverage through case study and practical exercises.
Module 1: Family Law
With more than 50% of all marriages ending in divorce, the field of family law provides vast employment opportunities for the paralegal professional. This course acquaints the student with the basic areas of a family law practice: marriage, divorce, property rights, custody of children, separation agreements, and maintenance. A practical hands-on course.
Module 2: Alternative Dispute Resolution
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is one of the most rapidly growing fields of law. However, ADR is still often overlooked as a field of study in law schools and paralegal programs.
In these four weeks, we explore, in-depth, the various methods of dispute resolution that do not necessarily involve having to enter a courtroom.
We will examine the various methods of dispute resolution that involve individuals exclusively, that involve both parties to the conflict working together to resolve their differences and the methods that involve putting the dispute into the hands of a neutral third party.
We will also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each ADR method, and the overall advantages and disadvantages of ADR as opposed to litigation in general.
Graduates of this program will have excellent knowledge in the area of immigration law practice, and will be able to assist people in various phases of the immigration law process. This Certificate Program focuses on two essential areas of knowledge:
1. Immigration Law
2. Law and Paralegal Office Management
This Certificate program is a wonderful combination of immigration law study and law office management. Persons planning to own and operate their own paralegal immigrant assistance office should take this course as a crucial first step to earning a living helping immigration clients as an entrepreneurial immigration paralegal.
Textbooks: All textbooks are included in the tuition for this specialized certificate program.
Module 1: Immigration Law
Regarding immigration law, students will gain both a theoretical and practical understanding of the basic elements of immigration law. This course examines immigration policies and undertakes a close review of the various categories of immigrants and non-immigrants. We review the basic statutes and visa categories and the priority with which the law treats their applications for entry. We take a detailed look at the various forms that are most commonly used in the immigration and visa application processes. Finally, we will explore the procedure required for admission into the United States, green card and citizenship status. We also review the procedures for deportation.
Module 2: Law and Paralegal Office Management
Regarding law and paralegal office management, this course prepares the paralegal to effectively function as a manager of a law office or his or her own paralegal office. This course takes you into the exciting world of the legal marketplace. You will learn about law offices, their fundamental characteristics, and the differences between different types of law firms and paralegal offices. This course also discusses personnel relations, and how the legal team functions together. As a paralegal, you must have a foundation in ethics, the next subject of study in this course. Client relations are going to be a major part of your career, and you need to know the ethical boundaries which guide legal professionals. This course also examines legal fees, timekeeping, billing and financial management, managing clients' trust fund accounts, and reviews law office systems and technology. Finally, the course considers the important subjects of record keeping, and law library organization and management.
Textbooks: All textbooks are included in the tuition for this specialized certificate program.
Module 1: Legal Research and Writing
Perhaps the most important skills of any paralegal are writing, analysis, and legal research. A skilled writer is an extremely valuable asset to any law office. This workshop-style course is designed to hone the student's writing and thinking skills by concentrating on basic principles of legal writing and analysis. Students learn to use powerful research tools, including online facilities from Westlaw and traditional book-based methods. Students prepare a variety of legal documents and research various issues. Results are reviewed by the instructor and other students in an online setting. This is one of the great advantages of online learning: the fostering of a community where students can easily share their work product and ideas with their fellow students.
Module 2: Investigation and Legal Reasoning
As a practicing paralegal, you will be involved daily with clients who have come to your firm for legal representation and guidance. You will be involved in real-life cases throughout your career. This course is dedicated to developing the skills you will need to work with clients and investigating and analyze their situations. Topics covered include:
Other subjects covered include: The nature and context of investigation, sources of evidence, sources of leads, gaining access to records, evaluating evidence, interviewing witnesses, taking witness statement and settlement workups.
In short, this very important course will prepare you to become an indispensable part of your law firm's case investigation team.
Module 3: E-Discovery
It is beyond dispute that the computerization of information has changed the conduct of civil litigation discovery in dramatic ways. In today's rapidly evolving electronic universe, paralegals and attorneys must know how to generate, discover, produce and preserve electronic information.
E-Discovery is a comprehensive course designed to educate the paralegal to recognize and handle electronic information. The course will explore:
An essential course for the modern litigation paralegal.
Textbooks: All textbooks are included in the tuition for this specialized certificate program.
Module 1: Civil Litigation
The student gains a thorough understanding of the major aspects of civil litigation, managing a case from beginning to end, from client interview, through the drafting of a summons and complaint, motions, briefs, and trial preparation. The instructor takes the role of judge. Students also learn about the history and structure of the major court systems.
Module 2: Alternative Dispute Resolution
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is one of the most rapidly growing fields of law. However, ADR is still often overlooked as a field of study in law schools and paralegal programs.
In these four weeks, we explore, in-depth, the various methods of dispute resolution that do not necessarily involve having to enter a courtroom.
We will examine the various methods of dispute resolution that involve individuals exclusively, that involve both parties to the conflict working together to resolve their differences and the methods that involve putting the dispute into the hands of a neutral third party.
We will also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each ADR method, and the overall advantages and disadvantages of ADR as opposed to litigation in general.
Textbooks: All textbooks are included in the tuition for this specialized certificate program.
Module 1: Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice Law
One of the most important fields of paralegal employment, the law of torts and negligence, is examined in detail. The student is educated to understand the basic theory of tort law, and the process by which negligence cases are developed in preparation for settlement or trial. Subjects covered include evaluating liability, injuries and damages.
Module 2: Civil Litigation
The student gains a thorough understanding of the major aspects of civil litigation, managing a case from beginning to end, from client interview, through the drafting of a summons and complaint, motions, briefs, and trial preparation. The instructor takes the role of judge. Students also learn about the history and structure of the major court systems.
Module 3: Investigation and Legal Reasoning
As a practicing paralegal, you will be involved daily with clients who have come to your firm for legal representation and guidance. You will be involved in real-life cases throughout your career. This course is dedicated to developing the skills you will need to work with clients and investigating and analyze their situations. Topics covered include:
Other subjects covered include: The nature and context of investigation, sources of evidence, sources of leads, gaining access to records, evaluating evidence, interviewing witnesses, taking witness statement and settlement workups.
In short, this very important course will prepare you to become an indispensable part of your law firm's case investigation team.
Textbooks: All textbooks are included in the tuition for this specialized certificate program.
Module 1: Wills Trusts and Estates (4 weeks)This course provides a theoretical and practical understanding of the laws of inheritance and estate planning. Students prepare a will and trust, and learn the procedure for probate. Estate planning, the role of the probate courts, and basic inheritance issues are explored and discussed.
Module 2: Elder Law (4 weeks)
Elder Law presents paralegal students with a comprehensive theoretical and practical overview of the main areas of elder law, one of the fastest growing areas in the legal field. Elder Law is a fairly new innovation in law, with the first statutes written in the 1960's. Both the "black letter law" and the judicial decisions interpreting the law are studied. The various areas of the law that are crucial to elder law practice are studied in the context of an elder law practice: wills, estate planning, guardianship, real estate, health law, elder abuse and more. Important forms, crucial in the actual practice of elder law, are presented to the student for review and analysis.
Module 3: Real Estate Law (4 weeks)
This course explores the theory and history of real estate transactions. Students gain a working knowledge of contracts, deeds, mortgages and title reports. The student has the opportunity to handle a theoretical real estate transaction from beginning to end. Many paralegal professionals are gainfully employed in real estate offices where they supervise closings and financings. This course is also valuable for brokers, agents, managers and other real estate professionals.