Program Overview

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UC Clermont's American Bar Association-approved Paralegal program provides students with the skills and confidence to compete in one of the fastest growing professions in the country. Our instructors are all experienced, licensed attorneys with expertise in the area they teach. Each faculty member is committed to providing personalized attention — the program averages approximately 25 students per class — and a hands-on, practical education for our paralegal students. The Academic Success Center on campus offer free, professional tutoring to assist students in their coursework.

The paralegal profession is ranked among the fastest-growing occupations in the US. Department of Labor's 2018 Occupational Outlook Handbook. As the legal system becomes more and more complex, lawyers are increasingly turning to qualified paralegals to provide essential services. A paralegal is one of the lawyer’s most valuable resources, performing substantive legal work– including assisting with trial preparation and real estate closings, drafting legal documents, and performing research. Through UC Clermont’s American Bar Association (“ABA”) approved Paralegal Studies program you can earn an associate degree in Paralegal Studies or a one-year post-bachelor or post-associate certificate. Students will develop a strong background in areas such as civil litigation, real property, business organizations, legal research and legal technology. Clermont College’s paralegal students also gain an understanding of the ethical framework within which they work, and will be able to effectively analyze and communicate in these areas. 

See our Frequently Asked Questions page for additional information.

Graduates of our paralegal studies program will be able to:

1. Demonstrate workplace readiness skills, including basic skills in legal research and writing, various substantive areas of the law, and be prepared for employment in an entry-level paralegal position or other related field.
2. Analyze and evaluate the law and modify standardized forms found in form books, pleading files, form files or computer databases to create the appropriate work product of a typical entry-level paralegal working under the supervision of an attorney.
3. Demonstrate proficiency with legal software and other technology used in the practice of law.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of legal and ethical principles that guide paralegal conduct and demonstrate an understanding of the role of the paralegal in the delivery of legal services.

1. Rising Pay - Paralegal compensation has risen steadily in the past decade and is projected to continue rising! Nationally the median wage for paralegal is $50,410 per year (2017). The Median wage in Cincinnati is $48,986.00.

2. Career Path is Exploding with New Jobs – It is one of the fastest growing professions in the U.S. and throughout the world! Projected to grow by over 28 percent in the next decade.

3. Short pathway to a new career – While a Lawyer spends seven long years preparing, if you already hold an associate or bachelor degree you can enter the field in just 11 months! Less than two years if you are just starting college.

4. A career to be proud of! – Paralegals are no longer just “assistants” they are part of the legal team with multifaceted roles. Many are also assuming leadership roles within many corporations

5. A Career helping others – Work on the front line of family, personal injury, litigation and public interest law.

6. Work directly with Clients - Just like a nurse works with patients, most paralegals are the direct line of communication to the client.

7. Oh, How the Practice of Law is changing! - The legal industry is changing and so is the delivery of legal services. Utah will become the second state to license paralegal practitioners starting in 2019. Lawyers are losing their long held monopoly on the law.

8. Chance to exercise problem solving skills – The work is challenging, requires innovative thinking and a problem-solving mentality.

9. Become an expert in your area of law – Paralegals often are subject matter experts in their specialty area, skilled at listening, understanding legal terminology, legal procedure and research.

10. A Chance to Experience UC Clermont! UC Clermont has one of the few American Bar Association approved paralegal programs in the nation. Less than 28 percent of all the paralegal program in the U.S. hold this badge of honor!

Paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law.

The University of Cincinnati reaffirms its policy that discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, age, sexual orientation, veteran status, or gender identity and expression shall not be practiced in any of its activities. University Rule 3361: 10-13-01