Cert in Legal Support Services

This certificate is aimed at people who already hold a bachelor's degree and want to enter the legal field. Students learn how to research the law, prepare documents and assist attorneys in many kinds of practice. Several courses are offered in only one of the two main semesters, so planning matters. The legal research and drafting course must be taken at the college rather than transferred in. Law offices, businesses and public agencies in the region hire paralegals, and the credential supports both starting out and moving up. This is a certificate offered by Tompkins Cortland Community College, intended to build a specific credential that can be applied to a career. It follows a defined course sequence, and students consult an advisor when planning their courses. Graduation requires 33 credits and a 2.0 GPA or higher.