E
mployment of paralegals and legal assistants
is projected to grow 28 percent between 2008
and 2018, much faster than the average for all
occupations. Employers are trying to reduce costs
and increase the availability and efficiency of legal
services by hiring paralegals to perform tasks once
done by lawyers. Legal assistants are performing a
wider variety of duties, making them more useful
to businesses.*
*Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
United States Department of Labor
Legal Assistant Certificate
Program Instructors
Richard Brink
Attorney
Chemung County Family Court
Christopher Denton
Attorney
The Denton Law Office, PLLC
Marichiel Lewis
Attorney
Office of Continuing Education and Graduate Studies
Non-credit
Legal Assistant
Certificate Program
Melissa Pruyne
Paralegal
Keyser, Maloney, & Winner, LLP
I am interested in learning more about the
Legal Assistant Certificate Program at Elmira College.
Name
Zip
Address
CityState
Telephone
Email
Employer (optional)
John Maloney
Attorney
Keyser, Maloney, & Winner, LLP
The Honorable Richard Rich
Chemung County Court Judge
Mark Smith
Attorney
Barton, Smith, & Barton, LLP
Office of Continuing Education and Graduate Studies
117 McGraw Hall
(607) 735-1825 • (800) 354-4720
www.elmira.edu/continuinged
continuinged@elmira.edu
As a practicing attorney my priority is solving every-day
legal problems. Knowing the foundations of New York
law, knowing how to research what one doesn't know, and
knowing how to apply both these attributes to solving everyday
legal problems is what the Elmira College Legal Assistant
Certificate Program accomplishes. These are the skills that
a law office staff needs; this is the program that can provide
them. I highly recommend this excellent program.
Christopher Denton, Esq.
Practicing Attorney, author
co-founder of the Atlantic States Legal Foundation
Elmira College Adjunct Instructor
“Share in a tradition that transforms lives.”
“Share in a tradition that transforms lives.”
EC at Night…for a better tomorrow!
EC at Night…for a better tomorrow!
Program Outcomes
T
“I believe that Elmira College has created an exceptional
training program for producing highly educated and motivated
Legal Assistants. I am so excited to be instructing several of the
module classes for this high-quality program.”
Melissa A. Pruyne
Legal Assistant
Keyser, Maloney & Winner, LLP
T
Upon successful completion of the Program, a person will be
able to:
• conduct investigative and discovery-related tasks;
• perform legal research of primary and secondary sources,
both print and online;
• formulate legal opinions through careful analysis of factual
scenarios;
• write interoffice memoranda, client correspondence and
basic legal documents in a clear and concise manner and in the proper format; and
• carry out legal tasks in an ethical manner in accordance with the New York Rules of Professional Conduct.
Weeks 2-3
Module 2: Legal Research
Weeks 4-5
Module 3: Legal Writing
Begins after Week 5 (36 hours): Module 4: Internship; Virtual Law Office
Module 5: Civil Litigation
Weeks 8-9
Module 6: Family Law Weeks 10-11
Module 7: Contract Law
Weeks 12-13
Module 8: Real Property Law
Weeks 14-15
Module 9: Oil and Gas Law
NO POSTAGE
NECESSARY
IF MAILED
IN THE
UNITED STATES
Office of Continuing Education and Graduate Studies
ELMIRA, NY
Weeks 6-7
BUSINESS REPLY MAIL
Module 1: Intro to Law and Legal Assistant Studies
“Share in a tradition that transforms lives.”
POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE
Week 1
o apply for this certificate program, candidates
for admission must possess the minimum of an
earned Associate’s Degree with a cumulative grade point
average of 2.5 or higher or documentation of significant
work experience in a law office, or special permission by
the Dean. The admissions process includes submission
of a completed application, an application fee, a
personal statement, an analytical essay, and an in-person
interview. Admissions are selective and competitive as
there is only room for 15-20 students in this program.
FIRST-CLASS MAIL PERMIT NO. 726
Program Curriculum
T
Elmira College
Continuing Education and Graduate Studies
One Park Place
Elmira, NY 14901-9968
he Elmira College Legal Assistant Certificate
non-credit training program provides the
fundamental knowledge of legal terminology,
procedural and substantive law, and drafting of legal
documents and research.
It is important to understand the role of a legal
assistant. Legal assistants cannot give legal advice,
accept cases, set legal fees, represent clients in court,
or perform any legal service without the supervision
of a licensed attorney.
The American Bar Association defines a legal
assistant as “a person, qualified by education, training, or
work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer,
law office, corporation, government agency or other entity
and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal
work for which a lawyer is responsible.”
Our instructors are local, experienced
professionals, who bring career-related insight to
their teaching and provide networking opportunities
within the community for students. Module
courses are offered in a blended format, which is a
combination of on-line and traditional classroom
learning. An internship is an important experiential
component of this training, and each student
will also develop, with the assistance of a career
consultant, an up-to-date professional vitae. This
program emphasizes hands-on learning and practical
applications and provides the students with the
skills, knowledge, and resources to be career ready at
the completion of just 15 weeks.
he objectives of the Legal Assistant Certificate program
are to prepare persons for employment in law-related
occupations. Completers will be qualified to work with
lawyers in public and private law practice, in the judiciary,
corporations, and government. The curriculum stresses
understanding and reasoning, rather than rote learning of facts and information.
Admission Requirements