The George Washington University Paralegal Studies March 16th Webinar
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Read through the presentation to learn about the Master’s Degree in Paralegal Studies online program, its faculty, and The George Washington University. The March 16th, 2010 webinar was lead by Toni Marsh, J.D., Program Director of Paralegal Studies at The George Washington University. For more information, call our Admissions Office at 1.866.232.0232 Ext. 3421 or visit http://paralegal.onlinegwu.com/ss.
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The George Washington University Paralegal Studies March 16th Webinar
- 1. The George Washington University Master of Professional Studies in Paralegal Studies Webinar Tuesday, March 16 th @ 12:30 PM EST To hear the audio portion of this webinar, call: Toll-Free: 1.866.602.5089 Conference ID: 1154512
- 3. Toni Marsh, Program Director
- 11. The GW Law School
- 13. Studying at the GW Law Library
- 15. Camille Franklin, Director of Career Services
- 23. Legal specialties for professionals
- 27. Lambda Epsilon Chi LEX To contact our Admissions Office, please call 1.866.232.0232 Ext. 3421
- 31. The George Washington University
Editor's Notes
- We will be starting the webinar shortly. To hear the audio portion of this webinar, please call toll-free 1.866.602.5089 and use the following Conference ID: 1154512
- Welcome to The George Washington University’s Master of Professional Studies in Paralegal Studies webinar. My name is Angela and I will be your moderator for today. In a moment, I will be handing things over to our first speaker. Before we begin, I would like to explain how this presentation will work. To cut out the background noise, we’ve muted your phone. So you can hear the speaker, but they cannot hear you. At the end of the presentation, we will be answering as many questions as we have time for. To ask questions, just type your question into the chat box in the right-hand side of your screen and hit ‘Enter.’ Please feel free to ask your questions as you think of them, but please note that all answers will be held until the end of the presentation.
- Your presenter today will be Toni Marsh. Professor Marsh has practiced criminal and juvenile law for nineteen years and is the author of Juvenile Law (2006). She completed her J.D. from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and her Bachelor of Arts in English from Cleveland State University. Okay, let’s begin the presentation.
- This is an exciting time to be a paralegal. Paralegals command high salaries and generous benefits, perform a wide range of duties, and enjoy positions at the top of legal support network. The job market is robust, and the majority of paralegals reporting very high job satisfaction. Law firms can bill their paralegals’ hours to clients, just as they bill attorneys’ hours, but at a far lower rate. Savvy law firms understand the economic benefits of using paralegals to perform a wide range of tasks with increasing responsibilities. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the number of paralegal positions will increase by more than 27% over the next eight years. CNN Money Magazine lists the paralegal as among the hottest jobs in the US.
- This is an exciting time to be a paralegal. Paralegals command high salaries and generous benefits, perform a wide range of duties, and enjoy positions at the top of legal support network. The job market is robust, and the majority of paralegals reporting very high job satisfaction. Law firms can bill their paralegals’ hours to clients, just as they bill attorneys’ hours, but at a far lower rate. Savvy law firms understand the economic benefits of using paralegals to perform a wide range of tasks with increasing responsibilities. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the number of paralegal positions will increase by more than 27% over the next eight years. CNN Money Magazine lists the paralegal as among the hottest jobs in the US.
- Paralegals can do everything in a law practice except Sign legal pleadings and documents that will be filed in court Give legal advice Accept cases Set fees Take depositions, and Advocate in court Everything else is within their purview, from the initial client interview through collection of judgment. Professional Responsibilities Interviewing and investigations Legal research and drafting Litigation support and case management Communication with clients, lawyers, staff, courts, witnesses Contract construction and review Document management Litigation management Corporate governance
- Among the unique elements of this program is our association with the GW Law School. Law librarians teach legal research and writing classes and students have access to the law school library, classrooms, and other facilities as they are available. Students are invited guests to law school events. The dean of the law school and the director of the law library both sit on the paralegal studies advisory board.
- We offer legal specialties in Government Law, Intellectual Property Law, and International Law. The federal government is one of the top employers not only in Washington DC, but also in the rest of the country. Our graduates are prepared to enter the federal government and study with experienced federal attorneys. Most of the country’s IP firms have offices in Washington DC and in Northern Virginia, which is the home of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. IP paralegals are in great demand, and are the most highly paid paralegals overall. The international community is at our doorstep. Our campus is within five blocks of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the World Health Organization, the State Department, the Organization of American States, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the embassies of the world, and we have used that wealth of resources to build our international law program.
- All of our students and alumni have access to GW’s premier office of career services and our excellent director, Camille Franklin. Camille offers all of the services you would expect from such an office – resume and cover letter assistance; a robust electronic jobs board with up to date postings; seminars, lectures, and workshops on issues of importance to job-seeking paralegals; individual counseling; and in-office mock interviews that she records and then plays back immediately, allowing for on the spot critiquing and improvement. But Camille goes way beyond that. She goes out into the legal community to develop employers, educate them about the paralegal profession, advocate for the increased use of paralegals, and help them learn the best ways to incorporate paralegals into their practices.
- We took the three most important aspects of any paralegal education program – technology, ethics and professionalism, and writing – and integrated them throughout the program. Paralegals are taking the lead in acquiring and implementing technology in the legal environments. GW weaves the use of and instruction in technology throughout the curriculum. All students receive their own personal LexisNexis and Westlaw accounts. Written and spoken communication skills are keys to success in any field, especially the legal field. Each of our courses include education in legal writing and speaking, so our graduates communicate clearly and confidently. Anyone can learn to write well, and every GW student will get the opportunity to do that in this program. Paralegals are assuming positions of leadership and responsibility. We make ethics and professional responsibility throughout the curriculum so students will internalize these important concepts naturally.
- Our online program will allow you to realize career-advancing opportunities while you continue working. These programs are designed for professionals like you, to help you improve and expand your knowledge and competencies. Online content delivery allows teachers and students to devote their full attention to these tasks at their own pace and convenience. *Flexibility - log in anytime, from any Internet connection. Post responses on the discussion board, receive feedback, and submit assignments, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. *Connection - gain individualized attention from faculty and develop close relationships with fellow learners as you interact with them creating a vast network of professional contacts. *Interaction - post and respond to messages with fellow business leaders. Online learning puts you much closer to the thinking and experience of your instructors and classmates. *Timely curriculum - course content is continually updated. Assignments incorporate the specific issues you deal with at school allowing you to apply lessons from each course.
- All GW students receive their own personal LexisNexis and Westlaw passwords when they enroll. Our legal research and writing professor offers extensive instruction in both of these important legal research tools. In addition, reps from Westlaw and Lexis visit the campus to provide advanced training in new and special legal technologies.
- The master’s degree is a total of 32 credits and lasts four semesters, for a total of 15 months. The master’s degree comprises the 12 credit core course sequence, all three legal specialties, a non-credit practicum, and a two-credit independent research project. Students who are already working in a legal environment may use their current positions as their Practicum's.
- The core course sequence comprises those subjects every working paralegal must know: American Jurisprudence, Legal Research and Writing, Corporations and Contracts, and Litigation.
- GW will grant up to 12 credits of advanced standing status to applicants who meet program requirements and are admitted to the program, and who either have a GW paralegal certificate, or who have a certificate from another school and have passed the PACE or CLA exam.
- Working paralegals, attorneys, and other professionals with some legal background may take single courses or single specialties to advance their careers or to deepen their understanding of the law. Non-degree seeking students with some legal background may take single core courses, such as Legal Research and Writing, with the permission of the program director.
- Our program is an academic credit-bearing program, so our students and faculty thus have access to the full range of University resources. GW is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and a member of the American Association of University Women. The GW Law School is accredited by the American Association of Law Schools and is a charter member of the American Bar Association’s section of Legal Education and Admissions to the bar of the American Bar Association. We are an institutional member of the American Association for Paralegal Education, which is the most designed the program in compliance with the ABA guidelines. It is our belief that when we are eligible to apply for approval, we will gain approval readily. The ABA requires that the program be in existence for two years before it can apply for approval. This program was just launched in January 2007, so we are too new to apply for approval.
- The GW paralegal program is an institutional member of the major local and national paralegal organizations and associations. This gives our students access to job notices, seminars, conferences, and other special events, publications, and a vast support network.
- GW is proud to be a chapter of Lambda Epsilon Chi, or LEX, the American Association for Paralegal Education’s National Honor Society for Paralegals. Every year, the highest achieving students are inducted into LEX. Their names are permanently entered into the rolls, they receive a certificate and special lapel pin, and are honored at commencement exercises.
- You can apply entirely online by visiting www.gwu.edu/gradinfo . Click on “Apply Online” and follow the prompts. Applicants must submit the following to apply to the Paralegal Studies program: Resume of professional experience Statement of academic objectives and professional goals Two recommendations (preferably one from a faculty member and the other from a professional supervisor) Official transcripts from each college or university attended Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores, if applicable
- The GW program is rigorous and demanding. We require a bachelor’s degree for admission and an undergraduate GPA of 3.0. Students who have not graduated from American universities must take the TOEFL exam.
- Financial aid is available. Please contact the financial aid office at 202.994.6620 or www.gwired.gwu.edu/finaid-g