Congratulations to our instructor Stephanie Elliott-Park for being elected 1st Vice President of the North Carolina Paralegal Association.
Prepare to enter the exciting and rewarding legal field with professionalism and acumen in our post-baccalaureate Paralegal Certificate Program.
Register early -
Class size is limited to 25 students
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The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is proud to offer a Paralegal Certificate program like no other in the city of Charlotte. Our program is topical, intensive, and intellectually rigorous. We designed it to fit the needs of the Charlotte legal and business communities. Our goal is to equip our graduates with the skills, knowledge, and abilities they need to embark on their careers with professionalism and acumen.
 Click here to read our Paralegal Student Success Stories |
The North Carolina State Bar Board of Paralegal Certification has designated the UNC Charlotte Paralegal Certificate Program a qualified paralegal studies program. Graduation from the Certificate Program will satisfy the educational requirements for certification as a paralegal by the Board; graduates will be eligible to sit for the exam and become Certified Paralegals.
Our Program combines 155 hours of classroom instruction with 73 hours of structured instructional activities that are designed to be completed online or through other methods outside of class.
In the first part of the program, students will receive comprehensive training in Core Paralegal Skills: American Jurisprudence; Legal Research; Legal Writing; Legal Technology; Litigation; Legal Ethics; and The Paralegal Profession.
The last five weeks of the program provide intensive, focused training in the General Practice Concentration:
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General Practice Law, which will provide an overview of Criminal Law, Family Law, and Estates & Trusts
A bachelor’s degree is required for admission to the program.
Graduates will earn UNC Charlotte Paralegal Program Certificates indicating their area of concentration. Continuing Education transcripts will document the awarding of the Certificate, the area of concentration, and a letter grade in each of the program's seven core courses as well as in the concentration.
We will award 22.8 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to those who attend all scheduled classroom sessions and complete all required instructional activities.
Schedule/Locations/Special Features
The program begins on September 17, 2009 and concludes on March 25, 2010.
Classes meet on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, from 6:00 – 9:30 p.m.
Optional Saturday Writing Labs on November 7 & 14, 2009
Mock Interview on Saturday, January 9, 2010
Class will not meet on the following days: November 26, December 22, 24, 29, 31, 2009.
Classes will be held at the UNC Charlotte Ben Craig Center, 8701 Mallard Creek Rd. Charlotte, NC 28262.
All UNC Charlotte Paralegal Certificate Program students will have access to the Charlotte School of Law Library (www.charlottelaw.org) seven days a week for the duration of the program. Specific hours of access will be announced in class. All students will also receive a personal LexisNexis account that will be valid for a period of one year.
University Career Center. Participants in the Paralegal Program will have access to the career library maintained by the University Career Center (UCC), which is located in Room 150 Atkins on the UNC Charlotte Main Campus. Paralegal participants will also be able to attend career fairs and workshops sponsored by the University Career Center, attend UCC's Campus Professional Orientation Sessions, and submit résumés to, and view jobs in, the UCC database.
Individual Academic and Career Advising. UNC Charlotte limits the class size to only 25 students. It is important that students are able to build a rapport with their instructors and the program director. Students will also have the opportunity to have three advisory meetings with the program director, in order to ensure their needs and goals are being met.
Job Posting Board. In addition, students enrolled in the program, and program graduates, will also have password-protected access to a Job Postings Board maintained by the Director of UNC Charlotte's Paralegal Program. While UNC Charlotte does not offer job placement services, area employers are encouraged by the program's Director to list their paralegal-related job openings through the program's Job Board. The program makes this service available to employers free-of-charge in order to provide our students with up-to-date information about these employment opportunities.
Mentorship Program. Mentors are valuable resources for new graduates entering the workforce, and have the ability to impact the mentee's quality of life through job satisfaction and earning potential. The UNC Charlotte Paralegal Certificate program works in conjunction with the Metrolina Paralegal Association (MPA) to provide mentors for students. Provided students meet the MPA's requirements, students have the ability to apply for mentee opportunities.
Legal Writing Lab. We believe excellent writing is an essential paralegal skill. Therefore, the UNC Charlotte Paralegal Certificate Program has made a commitment to its students by offering additional instruction with our legal writing instructors. In these labs, students will have the opportunity to get candid feedback and helpful insight on ways to improve their writing.
Who Should Attend/Prerequisites
The Paralegal Certificate Program is for people in pursuit of a second career, recent college graduates and working professionals who want to enter the legal field, and working paralegals who want to obtain a North Carolina State Bar-qualified post-baccalaureate paralegal certificate from an accredited University.
A bachelor's degree is required for admission to the program. You will need to submit a transcript documenting the awarding of your undergraduate degree either with your registration or as soon as possible thereafter. We will not be able to confirm your registration in the program until we have received your transcript. An unofficial transcript is acceptable.
Students are required to be proficient in their oral and written use of the English language. The program also requires that students have basic computer and technology skills. The following are tasks that it is assumed students in the program are able to complete:
- Attach a document and open an attachment in e-mail
- Open, create, format, and save Microsoft Word files
- Print word process files and web pages
- Load and access files and programs from a CD-ROM
- Use a Web browser (Internet Explorer or Firefox)
- Use an online search engine (e.g., Google) for general web searches
- Download and install various plug-ins as needed
Some classes in the program will be conducted in a computer lab. However, in order to participate fully in the program, a participant will need individual, extended, and convenient access -- outside of class -- to a basic technology package.
Additional Information Required from
Admitted Students:
Following admission to the program, each student is required to submit additional items that will help us provide individually-based academic and career counseling throughout the program. The following items must be submitted to the Program’s Director no later than one week prior to the program’s first class. Items can be submitted as Word documents, transmitted via e-mail to jhumphr1@uncc.edu.
- A standard professional résumé, which includes a summary of your educational and work experiences and skills.
- An essay addressing the following two questions. (Note: The essay should be between 750 and 1,500 words.)
- “How will this program help you achieve your professional goals?”
- “What skills and knowledge do you hope to acquire as a result of this program?”
Orientation: Programmatic and Technical
At the first class session, students will receive a comprehensive overview and introduction to all aspects of the program. The overview will include a technical orientation to technology-based systems that students will need to use to complete out-of-class and online structured instructional activities. The orientation will not cover the basic computer skills listed above under Prerequisites, but it will ensure that before beginning the program, students are familiar with the program-specific uses of technology that will be required for their success.
Program Director/Instructors
Janeene Humphrey, J.D.
Director: UNC Charlotte Paralegal Studies Program
Janeene Humphrey is employed by UNC Charlotte's Office of Continuing Education as Director of its Paralegal Certificate Program. She is a history scholar who has clerked for the United States District Court Middle District of North Carolina, Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, and the Katherine R. Everett Law Library. Janeene can be reached by email at jhumphr1@uncc.edu or by phone at 704.687.8847.
Education: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law, J.D.; The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A., History
Cheryl Johnson, AAS
Program Coordinator: UNC Charlotte Paralegal Studies Program
Cheryl ‘CJ’ Johnson is employed by UNC Charlotte's Office of Continuing Education as the Program Coordinator of its Paralegal Certificate Program. She has worked at Central Piedmont Community College in Corporate & Continuing Education. CJ can be reached by email at c.johnson@uncc.edu or by phone at 704.687.8776.
Education: Central Piedmont Community College, AAS, Paralegal Studies
Anthony Aycock, MLIS
Instructor: Legal Research
Anthony is the public services librarian at the brand-new Charlotte School of Law (http://www.charlottelaw.org). Before that, he was a librarian at Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, the largest law firm in North Carolina. He also managed the law department library at Duke Energy Corporation. Anthony has taught legal research at UNC Charlotte since 2003. He has also led seminars on electronic legal research for the Mecklenburg County Bar and the National Business Institute. In the modern law firm, paralegals do more than traditional legal research. They are asked to research medical conditions or run a background check or find the officers and directors of a company. Anthony teaches his students these non-legal skills.
Education: University of South Carolina, M.L.I.S.; Mars Hill College, B.A. in English
Calvin W. Chesson, Esq.
Instructor: Estate Planning
Calvin Chesson is a highly experienced attorney and legal educator. He has appeared before every state and federal court in North Carolina, and has taught at a number of institutions, including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Education: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, J.D.; East Carolina University, B.A., Business Administration
Judge Albert Diaz
Instructor: Litigation
Judge Albert Diaz is a North Carolina Special Superior Court Judge for Complex Business Cases. He is a former Resident Superior Court Judge for judicial district 26th. He also served as an appellate judge for the United State Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals and a military judge for the United States Navy-Marine Corps Trial Judiciary. For six years Judge Diaz was an attorney for Hunton & Williams. Judge Diaz also has experience as a prosecutor, trial defense lawyer, and appellate counsel.
Judge Diaz is very active in the Mecklenburg Community. He is an active member of ABA, the NCBA, and the Mecklenburg County Bar, where he serves as a judicial representative to the Special Committee on Diversity in the Legal Profession. He serves as a Board Member of Florence Crittenton Homes.
Judge Diaz is married with two children.
Education: Boston University, Business Administration, M.S.; New York University School of Law, J.D.; University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School, Economics, B.S.
Stephanie Elliott-Park, NCCP
Instructor: Legal Technology and Paralegal Profession
Stephanie Elliott-Park is a senior litigation paralegal for the law firm of Gray, Layton, Kersh, Solomon, Sigmon, Furr & Smith, P.A., in Gastonia, NC. She specializes in litigation, and her experience also encompasses employment litigation, personal injury, insurance defense, trust and estates, and corporate and complex business litigation. She has experience with filings in the North Carolina Complex Business Court; State Court filings in counties across North Carolina; Federal Filings in the Western, Eastern and Middle districts of North Carolina. Mrs. Elliott -Park is also an executive committee member of the North Carolina Paralegal Association and serves as the Articles and Associations news editor.
She is also a member of North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers Paralegal Section.
Education: B.S., Political Science, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 1998; Paralegal Technology Post-Baccalaureate Diploma Graduate, Central Piedmont Community College, 2002
Professional Certification: North Carolina State Bar Certified Paralegal, 2005
Annette R. Heim, Esq.
Instructor: Family Law
Annette R. Heim is an associate attorney with the law firm of Black, Grossman & Cain, P.A.. The law firm is a general practice law firm located in Concord, North Carolina. Ms. Heim’s practice is predominately devoted to family law and civil litigation. She practices in Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, Stanly, and Union counties. Her past work experiences include working for Legal Aid of North Carolina, Inc. as a staff attorney and practicing in family law and general civil litigation at a private law firm in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Education: Cumberland School of Law, J.D., University of Kentucky, B.B.A., Business Management.
A. Russell Hendrix, Esq.
Instructor: Legal Ethics
Russell Hendrix is licensed to practice law in North Carolina and currently works for the Mecklenburg County Family Court Administrator’s Office as a Family Court Case Coordinator. As a Family Court Case Coordinator, Russell assists the Domestic Court Judges in scheduling and managing their caseloads. He has clerked for the Union-Side Labor Law Firm of Levy, Ratner, & Behroozi, P.C. in New York City and also for East Central Community Legal Services in Raleigh, NC. Russell teaches Ethics and enjoys Carolina Basketball. Go Heels!!
Education: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law, J.D.; The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A., Political Science
Judge Carl Horn
Instructor: Criminal Law
Judge Carl Horn is Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Western District of North Carolina. A former Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney (1987-93), he is the author of the Fourth Circuit Criminal Handbook; Horn's Federal Criminal Jury Instructions for the Fourth Circuit; and Lawyerlife: Finding a Life and a Higher Calling in the Practice of Law; and co-author of Law for Physicians: An Overview of Medical Legal Issues and Federal Civil Practice in the Fourth Circuit.
Judge Horn has served Mecklenburg County in many capacities: as a member of a school board; as a youth soccer and wrestling coach; as a mentor for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg public schools; as a judge in North Carolina’s mock trial program; and as a member of several non-profit boards of directors.
Education: University of South Carolina Law School, J.D.; University of Virginia, B.A. cum laude
Education: University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 1994-1996; New College at Queens, B.A. cum laude, 1988; University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 1981-1983.
William R. Thompson, Esq.
Instructor: Interview Practicum
Will is an attorney and business development director who has extensive experience with legal recruiting. He routinely lectures on interview techniques, and on topics relating to the Charlotte legal community. Most recently, he served as the Director of Legal Placement in the Charlotte, NC office of Hudson Legal. Before getting into legal recruiting, Will was employed at Hogan & Hartson, LLP in Washington, D.C. and focused his practice on multi-jurisdiction litigation. Will is active in the Charlotte community, including participating in the Mecklenburg County Bar Association Reading Buddy Program and serving as the chair of the Michigan State University Endowed Scholarship.
Education: Michigan State University College of Law, JD; High Point University, BA
Adrienne Woods, Esq.
Instructor: American Jurisprudence
Adrienne Woods is licensed to practice law in South Carolina and currently works as an attorney with the South Carolina Department of Social Services where she represents the agency in issues regarding child protection, foster care, adoption, adult protection and economic services. Prior to working with the South Carolina Department of Social Services, Adrienne worked at the Council for Children's Rights, a non-profit agency geared towards representing and protecting the interests of children. During her 3.5 years at the Council for Children’s Rights, she worked as a case, class and systems advocate representing the best interests of children, in the various systems that work for and with children: mental health, education, juvenile delinquency and social services. Adrienne has also worked as a staff attorney with The South Carolina Centers for Equal Justice (legal services) representing domestic violence victims, abused children and the elderly who had been financially exploited.
Education: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law, J.D.; Dartmouth College, B.A.
Advisory Board
Click here to view the members of our Advisory Board.
Curriculum/Course Descriptions
The Core Paralegal Skills (click on the titles below for more information on each course):
- Legal Ethics
- Legal Technology
- The Paralegal Profession
- Introduction to American Jurisprudence
- Legal Research
- Legal Writing
- Litigation
- General Practice Law (Criminal Law, Family Law, Estates & Trusts)
Course Objectives - Concentration
The concentration provides students with intensive, concentrated instruction in the area, focusing on sources of law, legal terminology, jurisdictional issues, practical skills, document management, and recognition factors integral to that area of the law. The emphasis will be on practical skills and applications; however, students will learn enough theory to be intelligent and contributing members of legal teams.
Skills - Concentration
Students will have sufficient knowledge of the underlying legal principles of the specialty to intelligently and effectively perform functions necessary and appropriate in the legal specialty. They will acquire the ability to locate and complete the appurtenant paperwork; communicate with the proper courts and government agencies, identify the appropriate sources of law; follow developments in the law of their specialty; and identify associations and organizations offering support, education, and guidance within their specialty.
Course Objectives - Legal Ethics
Students will study the ABA Rules of Professional Responsibility, the North Carolina Revised Rules of Professional Conduct, and case law dealing with paralegals’ ethical, legal, and professional obligations. The course will emphasize those elements of the Rules that particularly affect paralegals: unauthorized practice of law, advocacy, competence, and diligence.
Skills - Legal Ethics
Students will be able to: apply principles of professional ethics to specific fact situations; understand the paralegal’s role in the delivery of legal services; conduct research and utilize other resources to find answers to ethical dilemmas.
Legal Ethics Topics include:
- The regulation of attorney and paralegal conduct
- Confidentiality
- Conflicts of interest
- Handling of client funds
- Reporting requirements
- Unauthorized practice of law
- Disciplinary proceedings
- Malpractice
Course Objectives - Legal Technology
This hands-on course will introduce students to the various technologies available to legal professionals.
Skills - - Legal Technology
Students will be able to: identify the various technological products available and select the most appropriate ones for a given situation; use and apply important legal technology, such as Microsoft Windows, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and LexisNexis; use litigation support technology; use the Internet for research; use e-mail and understand the legal and ethical implications of email.
Legal Technology Topics include:
- Adobe Acrobat Pro
- Electronic Discovery
- Electronic Courtroom
- Electronic Filing
- Law Office Technology
- Electronic research: LexisNexis and the Internet
- Case management technologies
Course Objectives - The Paralegal Profession and the Law Office
Students will learn about the day-to-day operations of a typical law office, and the paralegal’s role within it. The course will cover law office mechanics, law office culture, and professional etiquette and will prepare students to confidently enter the legal world knowing they possess the technical and social savvy they require.
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Interact effectively in person and in writing with paralegals, lawyers, judges, court personnel, clients, and witnesses; tactfully and diplomatically adapt to various situations, deal effectively with various personalities; work independently; understand the need to seek guidance when necessary; accept supervision and guidance; be an effective part of a legal team; multi-task; prioritize time and resources; understand management principles; understand billing, accounting systems, and other administrative systems; understand record-keeping and filing systems; identify the various types of legal environments.
The Paralegal Profession and the Law Office Topics include:
- Definition of a paralegal and overview of paralegal duties
- Certification and regulation of paralegals
- File maintenance
- Tickler and calendaring systems
- Billable hours
- Professional comportment
- Law office etiquette
- Large case management
- Automated litigation support
- Paralegal associations
- How to write resumes and cover letters
- Job search strategies
- Mock interview
Introduction to American Jurisprudence
Course Objectives - Introduction to American Jurisprudence
Students will gain an understanding of the American legal system’s structure and substance, and understand how the various elements of the system work together. They will learn legal terminology, gain an understanding of the major legal instruments, and explore sources of law.
Skills - Introduction to American Jurisprudence
Students will be able to identify interrelationships among cases, statutes, constitutions, regulations, and other legal authorities; use legal terminology correctly; identify the proper forum and identify the proper source of law for a given fact situation.
Introduction to American Jurisprudence Topics include:
- State, Federal, Appellate, Small Claims, and Specialty Courts
- Sources of Law: Common Law; Statutory Law; Administrative Regulations; Constitutions
- Branches of Law: Criminal; Civil; Probate; Domestic Relations
- Legal Terminology
- A brief overview of the Concentration course: General Practice (Criminal Law, Family Law, and Estates & Trusts)
Course Objectives - Legal Research
Students acquire the basic techniques of legal research and learn to find and use statutes, cases, and secondary sources using the law library and electronic legal research tools LexisNexis and Westlaw.
Skills - Legal Research
Students will acquire the ability to apply critical thinking, organizational, and communication skills; prepare and execute a legal research plan; find, evaluate, and apply print and electronic sources of law
Legal Research Topics include:
- Case Analysis and Reasoning: finding a case that is on point; understanding the difference between binding authority, persuasive authority, and dicta; distinguishing unfavorable cases
- Primary sources: statutes; case law; administrative regulations; constitutions
- Secondary sources: encyclopedias; treatises; law reviews; digests
- Shepardizing
- Cite checking
- Methods of compiling legislative histories
- Administrative and international legal research
Course Objectives - Legal Writing
Students will then apply the research skills they acquire in Legal Research to the task of writing various legal documents, including memoranda, motions, pleadings, briefs, discovery requests, notices, and correspondence.
Skills - Legal Writing
Students will acquire the ability to apply critical thinking, organizational, and communication skills; use proper English grammar and spelling; acquire a clear and effective writing style; locate and modify standardized forms; apply or distinguish precedent to a given fact situation; use proper citation form; draft legal documents and correspondence
Legal Writing Topics include:
- Case Analysis and Reasoning: finding a case that is on point; understanding the difference between binding authority, persuasive authority, and dicta; distinguishing unfavorable cases
- Writing letters, law office briefs, court briefs, and other legal documents
- Blue Book citation form
- Legal forms
Course Objectives - Litigation
Students will learn the fundamentals of bringing and defending against a lawsuit with heavy emphasis on the critical roles paralegals play. Students will follow a case as it progresses from the initial client interview, to conducting an investigation, researching the cause of action, choosing a forum, filing and responding to pleadings and motions, drafting discovery requests and responses, filing notices of depositions, preparing for depositions, digesting deposition transcripts, locating and preparing witnesses, filing subpoenas, preparing releases and other dispositional documents, and filing notice of appeal.
This course will also acquaint students with the various litigation support services available to them. Students will learn how they can employ various services and technologies in their roles as litigation support specialists. They will learn what roles each of the services can play, how to choose from among myriad resources, and how to effectively use those services they have chosen.
Skills - Litigation
As students move through the stages of litigation, they will acquire the ability to: Analyze problems and identify and evaluate alternative solutions; construct and assess legal arguments; determine which area of law applies to a specific problem; identify and locate witnesses; conduct effective interviews and investigations; prepare releases and use other methods to find and acquire information.
Litigation Topics include:
- Stages of Litigation
- Client Contact and Interviewing Techniques
- Informal Fact-Gathering Techniques
- Evaluation of Evidence in Light of the Rules of Evidence
- Pleadings
- Discovery Preparation and Coordination
- Motions
- Briefs
- Trial Notebooks
- Lay and Expert Witnesses
And the following Litigation Support Topics:
- Presentation Specialists
- Litigation Consultants
- Reprographic Services
- Document Management
- Court Reporting
- Private Investigators
- Couriers
- Research Services
- Title and Title Insurance Companies
- Staffing Agencies
- Surveyors
Certificate and CEU Requirements
In order to receive the UNC Charlotte Paralegal Certificate, students must earn a grade of C or better in each course in the core program and in the concentration.
Instructors will award course grades on the basis of tests, homework, papers, and/or other assignments, and course-specific attendance policies.
Students completing the Certificate requirements will be awarded a UNC Charlotte Paralegal Program Certificate. The concentration that the student completed will appear on the Certificate and on the individual's Continuing Education transcript. The letter grade earned by the student in each course and in the concentration will also appear on the individual's transcript.
The University will award 22.8 CEUs to participants who complete all 228 of the program’s combination of classroom hours and hours assigned to structured instructional activities. The University will adjust the CEUs awarded to those who do not complete all 228 hours.
Graduates will be eligible to sit for the NC State Bar Paralegal Certification examination.
North Carolina State Bar Certification Requirements
The North Carolina State Bar approved the Plan for Certification of Paralegals and the North Carolina Supreme Court adopted the Plan in November 2004. The Plan will assist in the development of paralegal standards, raise the profile of the paralegal profession, and standardize the expectations of the public and other legal professionals.
The North Carolina State Bar has established a voluntary North Carolina certification program with requirements that are properly defined and that will ensure the credential has value. The North Carolina certification plan will assist lawyers and administrators in distinguishing paralegals that meet or exceed the skills required for certification. As multi-skilled professionals, paralegals have a diverse knowledge base and must practice effective interpersonal communication skills to maintain collaborative relationships within the legal team. The North Carolina State Bar and the North Carolina courts will continue to hold paralegals, like attorneys, to the highest of ethical and professional standards. (North Carolina State Bar, http://www.nccertifiedparalegal.org)
Paralegals who have graduated from an approved program and passed the examination may use the following designations:
- North Carolina Certified Paralegal
- North Carolina Bar Certified Paralegal
- Paralegal Certified by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Paralegal Certification
- NCCP
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is an official test site for the North Carolina Certified Paralegal Exam. For more information about the exam, please visit http://www.nccertifiedparalegal.org/becoming.asp. The application is now available online at http://www.nccertifiedparalegal.org/documents.asp.
If you would like to read more information about the exam, please read "Exam Time" on page 10 in the Carolina Paralegal News (1 MB pdf).
Registration Fee/Payment Options
Registration Fee and Textbooks
The registration fee for the UNC Charlotte Paralegal Program Certificate is $4,995, which does not include the cost of textbooks.
Our Program Director and instructors select the most up-to-date textbooks available from the most prominent and respected textbook publishers in the country. Each year the textbook list is reviewed and updated as necessary to ensure that we are teaching from the most current and the best texts available. Complete information on the required texts for the program will be provided to participants, who will then be able to purchase their texts directly from book vendors. At this time, the cost of the texts is estimated to be between $530 - $830 depending on the participant's choice of concentration, and on whether the participant chooses to buy the optional texts for the core classes.
The program registration fee includes access to the Charlotte School of Law Library (www.charlottelaw.org) seven days a week during the length of the program. Specific hours of access will be announced in class. The registration fee also includes a personal LexisNexis account that will be valid for a period of one year.
Estimated cost of the textbooks is $800. Please check the student stores website for the exact cost of the books.
There is no charge for parking at UNC Charlotte's Ben Craig Center. The cost of parking for classes held at the Charlotte School of Law Library is not included in the registration fee; however, students will be provided with information on various parking options available in the Uptown area.
Payment Options
We accommodate students who choose financial assistance.
For more information on financial assistance, please click here.
Registrants may pay the entire course fee in full at the time of registration, or they may choose to participate in a multi-payment plan.
Under the multi-payment plan, a participant must remit an initial payment (Payment #1) of $1665 at the time he or she registers for the program in order to reserve a seat in the program. UNC Charlotte will then send the registrant a Payment Plan Agreement Form, which outlines payment amounts and due dates, as well as key refund/cancellation deadlines. Payment reminders will be sent out to those using the payment plan approximately two weeks before the next payment is due.
Additional payments will be due as follows:
· Payment #2. Amount Due: $1665. Due Date: August 6, 2009 (received no later than 5:00 p.m.)
· Payment #3. Amount Due: $1665. Due Date: September 3, 2009 (received no later than 5:00 p.m.)
· Total amount paid in three separate payments: $4995
Anyone who registers on or after the Payment #2 due date will pay the total of the first two payments upon registration, with the final balance due according to the posted dates. The Payment Plan will no longer be offered on or after the Payment # 3 due date. At that point, all registrations will be taken at the full registration fee, as long as there is space available in the class.
We will cancel the registration of individuals who fail to meet the payment deadlines under the multi-payment plan. Those people will forfeit their seats in the program. UNC Charlotte will refund any money we have received to that point.
Note to Those Who Might Be Pursuing Financing of the Registration Fee
Participants in programs such as this often choose to pursue some kind of financing of the registration fee. UNC Charlotte's Office of Continuing Education is happy to complete the appropriate paperwork that might be involved in a participant's pursuit of a loan from a lender he or she has identified.
Typically, such paperwork will require UNC Charlotte to provide certain details about the program and to certify that a particular participant is eligible to enroll. In order for us to certify your eligibility, you will need to register for the program and submit the initial payment of $1,665 with your registration.
Upon receipt of your registration, we will send you a form detailing the rest of the process. You must sign and return the form to UNC Charlotte. We will hold your seat in the program until September 3, 2009. The lender must have scheduled disbursement of the loan to UNC Charlotte by this date, or, to continue to hold your seat, you must pay the registration fee in full.
UNC Charlotte is prepared to receive disbursement(s) directly from a lender for the full registration fee, if that is the arrangement a lender makes with a participant; when this occurs, UNC Charlotte will refund to the participant any payments the participant made directly to UNC Charlotte.
Refund and Cancellation Policy
Cancellation: Cancellations received 2 weeks before the start of the program will be entitled to a full refund of the registration fee. Cancellations received less than 2 weeks before the program start date will be entitled to a refund less a $250 late cancellation charge. No refunds will be given for cancellations received on, or after the program start date, or for no shows. You may send a substitute at no additional cost if the substitute's name is given to the Continuing Education Office the day before the program begins.
An individual who must cancel his or her registration, and is not entitled to a refund or owes the entire registration fee, may send a qualified substitute in his or her place, provided the substitute is identified to UNC Charlotte prior to the start of the program.
Registrants choosing the multi-payment plan will be subject to the same cancellation/refund policy as participants paying the entire fee at the time of registration.
Reservation of Rights
UNC Charlotte reserves the right to substitute instructors, change the day a program meets, change the location of a program, or cancel programs due to insufficient enrollment or unforeseen events. If UNC Charlotte must cancel a program, we will give participants a full refund of the registration fee. The University is not responsible for non-refundable plane fares, hotel and car deposits, or any other expenses incurred by registrants in programs.
For questions, comments, or concerns about our refund and cancellation policies, or other matters related to this program, please contact UNC Charlotte Continuing Education by calling 704.687.8900 or by emailing CEregistration@uncc.edu.
Registration Options:
We encourage you to register at least two weeks prior to the beginning of the program. If you are registering after this, please call 704-687-8900 to inquire about availability of space.
- Online registration available using your MasterCard, Diners Club, VISA, or American Express credit card.
- Full Payment
- First Payment Only
- Telephone with Master Card, Diners Club, Visa, American Express, or company purchase order: 704-687-8900
- Fax completed registration form (pdf) with MasterCard, Diners Club, Visa, or American Express information or company purchase order number to: 704-687-8691
- Mail completed registration form (pdf) and include payment (make checks payable to UNC Charlotte Continuing Education), credit card or purchase order information to:
Attn: Registration Center
Paralegal Certificate Program
Continuing Education
The UNC Charlotte Ben Craig Center
8701 Mallard Creek Rd.
Charlotte, NC 28262
Confirmation
The program fee is payable in advance. Registration is not complete and will not be confirmed until we receive your baccalaureate transcript and either full payment, a deposit and signed multi-payment plan, or company billing information, which we will acknowledge with a receipt, confirmation letter, map and parking information.
Accessibility
Reasonable and appropriate accommodations will be made available upon request for persons with disabilities. Accommodation requests must be specifically relayed at least two weeks prior to the start of the program. You must notify both the Office of Continuing Education and the UNC Charlotte Office of Disability Services with accommodation requests.
Continuing Education Contact: The Registration Center
Email: ceregistration@uncc.edu
Phone: 704-687-8900
Disability Services Contact: Kristin Kolin
Email: kjkolin@uncc.edu
Phone: 704-687-3136
When calling the Office of Disability Services, please indicate the continuing education course you are taking.
Equality of Opportunity
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is committed to equality of educational opportunity and does not discriminate against applicants, students, or employees based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, or disability.
The Paralegal Profession
The paralegal profession is dynamic and rewarding. Paralegals in the Charlotte metropolitan region work in all areas of the law, from banking and finance to real estate, criminal law, and family law. They work in law firms, corporate offices, universities, research institutes, government agencies, courts, real estate offices, patent offices, banks, and virtually every other business, legal, or educational setting. The mean annual salary for Paralegals in the Charlotte region, according to the May 2008 Bureau of Labor Statistics, is $43,390. The average salary for North Carolina is $40,150.
While lawyers must assume ultimate responsibility for legal work, they often delegate many of their tasks to paralegals. Paralegals continue to assume a growing range of tasks in legal offices and perform many of the same tasks as lawyers, always under an attorney’s supervision. They are explicitly prohibited from carrying out duties that are considered to be the practice of law, such as setting legal fees, giving legal advice, and presenting cases in court.
One of a paralegal’s most important tasks is helping lawyers prepare for closings, hearings, trials, and corporate meetings. Paralegals investigate the facts of cases and ensure that the legal team considers all relevant information. They identify appropriate laws, judicial decisions, legal articles, and other materials that are relevant to assigned cases. After they analyze and organize the information, paralegals may prepare written reports that attorneys use in determining how cases should be handled. Should attorneys decide to file lawsuits on behalf of clients, paralegals may help prepare the legal arguments, draft pleadings and motions to be filed with the court, obtain affidavits, and assist attorneys during trials. Paralegals organize and track files of case documents and make them available and easily accessible to attorneys.
Paralegals perform a number of other vital functions. They help draft contracts, mortgages, separation agreements, and trust instruments. They may assist in preparing tax returns and planning estates. Some paralegals coordinate the activities of other law office employees and maintain financial office records. Various additional tasks may differ depending on the employer.
Paralegals work in all types of organizations, but most work in law firms, corporate legal departments, and government offices. They can work in different areas of the law within these organizations, including litigation, personal injury, corporate law, criminal law, employee benefits, intellectual property, labor law, bankruptcy, immigration, family law, and real estate. Paralegals have responded by becoming more specialized as the law has become more complex.
Paralegals’ duties differ widely based on the type of organization in which they are employed. Paralegals who work for corporations assist attorneys with employee contracts, shareholder agreements, stock-option plans, and employee benefit plans. They may help prepare and file annual financial reports, maintain corporate minute books and record resolutions, and prepare forms to secure loans for the corporation. Paralegals monitor and review government regulations to ensure that the corporation is aware of new requirements and that it operates within the law.
Paralegals who work in the public sector analyze material for internal use, maintain reference files, conduct research, and collect and analyze evidence for agency hearings. They prepare informative or explanatory material on laws, agency regulations, and agency policy for general use by the agency and the public. Paralegals employed in community legal-service projects help the poor, the aged, and others in need of legal assistance. They file forms, conduct research, prepare documents, and, when authorized by law, may represent clients at administrative hearings.
Paralegals in small and medium-sized law firms perform a variety of duties that require a general knowledge of the law. They may research judicial decisions on improper police arrests or help prepare a mortgage contract. Paralegals in large law firms, government agencies, and corporations are likely to specialize in one aspect of the law.
Computer use and technical knowledge have become essential to paralegal work. Paralegals use computer software packages and the Internet to perform their duties. Paralegals use computer databases to retrieve, organize, and index various materials in litigation involving many supporting documents. Imaging software allows paralegals to scan documents directly into a database, while billing programs help them to track hours billed to clients. Computer software packages may be used to perform tax computations and explore the consequences of possible tax strategies for clients. (Adapted from Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2004-05 Edition, Paralegals and Legal Assistants, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos114.htm. Visited May 12, 2009)
Employment Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the number of paralegals and legal assistant jobs to grow 22% between 2006 and 2016. Paralegals and legal assistants held about 238,000 jobs in 2006. Some employment growth stems from law firms and other employers with legal staffs increasingly hiring paralegals to lower the cost and increase the availability and efficiency of legal services. The majority of job openings for paralegals in the future will be new jobs come from employment growth. Highly skilled, formally trained paralegals have excellent employment potential.
Private law firms will continue to be the largest employers of paralegals, but a growing array of other organizations, such as corporate legal departments, insurance companies, real estate and title insurance firms, and banks hire paralegals. Corporations are boosting their in-house legal departments to cut costs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the demand for paralegals to grow as an increasing population requires legal services in areas such as intellectual property, healthcare, international, elder issues, criminal, and environmental law, as organizations currently employing paralegals assign them a growing range of tasks, and as small and medium-sized establishments employ increasing numbers of paralegals.
New job opportunities will arise as people leave the profession in such sectors as bankruptsy, medical malpractice, and product liability.
Job opportunities for paralegals will expand in the public sector as well. Community legal-service programs, which provide assistance to the poor, aged, minorities, and middle-income families, will employ additional paralegals to minimize expenses and serve the most people. Federal, State, and local government agencies, consumer organizations, and the courts also should continue to hire paralegals in increasing numbers.
The business cycle affects paralegal jobs to a limited extent. The decline in demand for discretionary legal services during times of recession is offset by the fact that employers hire more paralegals, who provide many of the same legal services as lawyers at a lower cost, during these periods. Paralegals tend to fare relatively better in difficult economic conditions. (Adapted from Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, Paralegals and Legal Assistants, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos114.htm. Visited May 15, 2009).
Program & Registration Questions
For Program-Specific Questions:
Please contact Janeene Humphrey, Program Director, by email jhumphr1@uncc.edu or by phone: 704.687.8847.
For Registration Questions:
Please call the Registration Center at 704.687.8900 or toll-free at 877.741.0134 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or email CEregistration@uncc.edu.
The Paralegal Certificate Program is VA approved by the North Carolina State Approving Agency. Prospective applicants pursuing VA benefits must follow normal registration procedures and payment options in order to be officially registered for the Paralegal Certificate Program. Qualified applicants should notify the Registration Center (ceregistration@uncc.edu or 704-687-8900) of their intentions at the time of registration. Application for reimbursement under VA Benefits should be made to UNC Charlotte's Veteran Services Office at 704-687-5479 or veteranservice@uncc.edu.
704-687-8900 or send us an email.
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