Program Overview

The Paralegal Profession

The American Bar Association defines a paralegal as "A legal assistant or paralegal is a person, qualified by education, training or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible". Paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public, except where permitted by law.

For more information about the paralegal profession, please visit the website of the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Paralegals. 

The Paralegal Certificate is awarded on successful completion of both a degree and the ten required legal specialty courses. 

3 ways to complete the program and earn your certificate:

  • If you already hold a bachelor of arts, a bachelor of science or an associate of science degree, you need only complete the ten legal specialty courses to earn the certificate. The courses required for the certificate can be completed in 4 terms, or approximately 15 months. However, you may choose to complete your coursework over a longer period of time.
  • If you currently hold an associate of science degree, you may be interested in pursuing the certificate while concurrently completing a bachelor of science in interdisciplinary studies degree. The credit courses required for the Paralegal Certificate can all apply toward that degree.  Information on the bachelor of science in interdisciplinary studies can be found on the Adult Degree website.
  • American Bar Association guidelines require participants to either currently hold or concurrently pursue at least an associate of science degree. If you have not already completed at least an associate of science degree, you will need to do so before you will be awarded the Paralegal Certificate. All credits earned in paralegal courses can be applied towards your degree. You may choose to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies or an Associate of Science degree. Information on both degrees can be found on the Adult Degree website.

Program Goals

The Program is committed to producing well educated, capable, and ethically aware graduates who, although they may not provide legal services directly to the public except as permitted by law, are prepared for careers as paralegals to attorneys in private, public, and corporate settings. Specifically, the Program goals are:

  1. To train students in a practical way for careers as paralegals to attorneys.
  2. To promote a basic understanding of legal concepts and terms on subjects which are important to those engaged in general practice or in specialized areas of law and to equip students with legal writing and research skills that will enable graduates to perform as skilled members of a legal team.
  3. To provide a general understanding of the principles of ethical and professional responsibility as these relate to lawyers and paralegals.
  4. To provide a broad background in general education for the development of educated, socially, morally and ethically aware individuals.
  5. To constantly upgrade and adjust the Program to fulfill the needs of the community by seeking input from local attorneys, paralegals, and students.

What are the benefits of earning a paralegal certificate from Samford University?

  • Samford University has been educating paralegals for over 30 years, longer than any other program in Alabama
  • The Paralegal Certificate Program is the only American Bar Association approved program in the Birmingham area, and was the first approved program in Alabama
  • Paralegal students benefit from
    • use of the Beeson Law Library
    • the Career Development Center
    • a wireless campus
    • recognition of the Samford University and Paralegal Program name and reputation
  • Upon earning the paralegal certificate from Samford University, students are well prepared to meet their career goals as paralegals, a career for which the job outlook is strong at both the state and national level.