Paralegal Certificate

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Paralegal education prepares the student to assist with substantive legal work under the supervision of an attorney or to work in a law-related setting such as in corporate compliance, contracts administration, and the court system. Hamline’s Paralegal Certificate does not lead to licensure as an attorney or to the practice of law.

This program is open to undergraduate students in all majors and to post-baccalaureate students.

Certificate Requirements

Required courses

Legal specialty courses*

Eight (8) additional credits of from the following list of legal specialty courses:

Elective courses

Four (4) credits of additional coursework from all legal studies legal specialty courses listed above or the following interdisciplinary law-related courses:

*Note

Hamline legal specialty courses are approved by the American Bar Association pursuant to its standards for course offered in “accelerated format” by combining class time with outside of class learning experience.

In addition to the Hamline University Transfer of Credit Policies outlined in this bulletin, there are specific policies governing the transfer of legal specialty credits toward the paralegal certificate for undergraduate students. The LGST department chair must approve all legal specialty credit transfers toward the paralegal certificate. except for those transferred from ABA-approved programs with whom Hamline has articulation agreements. Students must complete at least 16 credits toward the paralegal certificate at Hamline, including the four credit LGST 5900. Students must have earned a grade of C- or better for credits to be considered for transfer. Students may not transfer in more than 16 credits of legal specialty coursework. The Department Chair will consider credits as either law-related or legal specialty credits on a case-by-case basis where credits have been earned at a program not approved by the ABA or at an ABA-Approved Program with whom we do not have an existing articulation agreement. Courses for possible transfer must be comparable to the course work offered in Hamline’s paralegal program, as well as meet course objectives and practical skills to be developed in Hamline’s course. In deciding whether to accept such credits, the Chair will review the following items: course instructor (a paralegal, lawyer or non-lawyer), textbook used, and practical assignments completed. Students must provide all such information when requesting transfer credits; Hamline is not responsible for gathering relevant documents and the Chair will not approve transfer credits without proper supporting documents. Upon satisfactory review, the Chair will approve all transfer credits in writing.

Transfer students must complete a minimum of sixteen (16) credits at Hamline toward their paralegal certificate, including LGST 5900 Practicum course. Students must complete at least 18 legal specialty credits to earn their paralegal certificate.