How to Apply for your Paralegal Certificate

1. First you should review and see if you have completed all of the 12 classes for the certificate.

2. Go to the Student Information System, and type in your Student ID Number starting with 88-xxx-xxxx or your SSN and your PIN (which is your day and date of birth) - Go to your transcript, and make sure you have completed all of the classes. If you have completed other classes and wish to have them "substituted" in the place of the Mission Paralegal Classes, first contact Prof J. (818-415-2015) to discuss, if you are allowed, and if so, then fill in the Substitution Petition, and return it to Prof J. at Mission College - 13356 Eldridge Ave., Sylmar, Ca. 91342, along with any supporting documentation (i.e. a copy of the course description and syllabus demonstrating the same materials were covered in the "substituted class" as the one at Mission being "subsituted". Also contact the college where you took the class, and have them forward a sealed and certified transcript of your grade for the class(es) and have them forward it directly to Rosalie Torres, Admissions Director at Mission College.

3. Once you have ascertained that you have completed the above 12 classes, then fill in the word document - (click here for petition) and word process the form, changing the dates at the top, and filling in your name, etc. You can either print out the form, then fill it in, and send it to Prof. Jordan by mail or you can email it to Prof J. - If you send it by mail address it to : Prof. David Jordan, Director of Paralegal Studies, L.A. Mission College, 13356 Eldridge Ave, Sylmar, CA. 91342-3245, and I will then send it along to our Petitions Clerk who will process your Petition. She first verifies your transcript, and grades, and then sends it over to our Dean of Students for the Vocational Programs, who has a certificate prepared, Prof. Jordan then signs the petition, along with the Dean, and the certificate is then mailed to you, or you can drop by and pick it up.

(here is the form in pdf format which you can print out if the word doc does not open for your - click here for pdf file for 2005/2006 - for other years (click here) .

By the way, we have a very nice Paralegal Certificate Awards Ceremony every year in May, and you are cordially invited to attend. At the awards ceremony you will not receive your paralegal certificate since that has to be processed when you complete all of your classes in June, and then forwarded to you by mail, or you pick it up (or if you completed the program before the Spring, it is likely that you have already received your certificate). . Here is what the Paralegal Certificate looks like.

At the Paralegal Awards Ceremony you will receive a very nice  Certificate of Recognition  from L.A. City which recognizes your accomplilshment. 

Please NOTE:  You do not have to wait to apply for your certificate until May, but can apply anytime you have completed the 12 courses. Also you should apply before May even though you are waiting to complete the last few classes in the Spring semester.. (Here is a list of our Paralegal Graduates)

You should allow between 3-4 weeks to receive your certificate in the mail. If you do not then please email or call Prof. Jordan to find out the status of your certificate.

Also note that some students may have completed Law 14 - Law Office Management, but that is no longer a required course for graduation.

4. You can also fill in the Petition by word processing it, and then email it as an attachment to Prof. Jordan at abogado@pacbell.net. This will also expedite the process, and avoid any delays with the regular U.S. Mail.

5. Once you have graduated, you may want to become an independent paralegal (licensed Legal Document Assistant, and you will have to follow these steps:

1. Paralegal Certificate
2. $25,000 Insurance Bond
3. $191.00 License Fee (currently)
Apply at the Los Angeles Registrar/Recored, in Norwalk, CA 90651-1024 (800) 815-2666. Follow this general process and steps for registration.

6. Also you may want to now consider going to law school. We are current working on a program, we call the "Fast-Track to Law School".

updated: 4-18-09