IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Paralegal Certificate Program at University of California, Irvine Extension today announced its 35th anniversary of providing continuing education, career preparation and a prestigious certificate that will differentiate graduates in the legal job market. In celebration of this milestone, the Paralegal Certificate Program will award 35 Orange County Paralegal Association (OCPA) memberships to student attendees at the OCPA Student Section Conference which will be at the UCI Student Center, Balboa Island A on June 16 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The conference will provide a legal job workshop for participants, along with a legal staffing and recruiting seminar and a discussion on this year’s legal hot topics and how to become a certified paralegal.
“We are excited to celebrate 35 years of a program that provides outstanding legal training and a significant competitive advantage to graduates who are entering the job market,” said Tom Pokladowski, Esq., director of law, finance and business programs at UC Irvine Extension. “Law firms and other employers continue to recognize the quality of our Paralegal Certificate Program and remain eager to hire our students and help them successfully launch their careers.”
The Paralegal Certificate Program received American Bar Association (ABA) approval in 1985 and continues to meet the high standards required to maintain ABA approval. This distinction is yet another reason that new professionals who graduate with a Paralegal Certificate from UC Irvine Extension are highly marketable. The program helps participants develop job skills that are essential in a paralegal career and allows them the opportunity to learn from respected instructors who practice at prominent law firms, corporations, and public sector agencies.
Gary S. Gorczyca, Paralegal Certificate Program advisory board member and partner at Phillips, Whisnant, Gazin Gorczyca & Curtin, LLP, is one of many industry professionals who has made a significant contribution to the certificate program. Under Gorczyca’s leadership as associate program director during the 1980’s, the program received ABA approval. Pointing to the success of the program, recent graduate Julie Nakasaki was recently hired by a law firm in Costa Mesa, Calif. Their testimonials about the Paralegal Certificate Program can be accessed online at http://www.youtube.com/user/UCIrvineExtension?feature=watch.
In celebration of the Paralegal Certificate Program’s continued success in offering high quality paralegal training, the program will also award OCPA memberships to the first 35 program graduates who submit their success stories via email.
To learn more about the Paralegal Certificate Program, visit www.unex.uci.edu/certificates/legal/paralegal/.
About UC Irvine Extension: University of California, Irvine Extension is the continuing education arm of UC Irvine. Through thousands of courses and programs offered on campus, online and on site, UC Irvine Extension helps adult learners reach their career advancement and personal enrichment goals —and is celebrating 50 years of providing universally accessible, university-level learning to local, regional, and global communities. Learn more at www.extension.uci.edu, or join us on Facebook at facebook.com/uciextension.
About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Led by Chancellor Michael Drake since 2005, UCI is among the most dynamic campuses in the University of California system, with nearly 28,000 undergraduate and graduate participants, 1,100 faculty and 9,000 staff. Orange County’s largest employer, UCI contributes an annual economic impact of $4.2 billion. For more UCI news, visit www.today.uci.edu.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50306323&lang=en