Beginning this fall, Eastern Kentucky University will offer its entire paralegal program at Bluegrass Community and Technical College in Lexington.

EKU, whose program was established nearly 30 years ago and was one of the first nationally and the first in Kentucky to earn American Bar Association approval, offers an associate degree in paralegal studies, a baccalaureate degree in paralegal science, a post-baccalaureate certificate in paralegal science, and a minor in paralegal science.

Lynnette Noblitt, director of paralegal programs at EKU, said that the Fayette County Bar Association has “expressed the need for more well-educated paralegals. Our program is highly regarded by local attorneys, and they have expressed tremendous enthusiasm for us coming to Lexington.”

Already, the entire EKU paralegal program except for three classes is also offered at six sites around the region and state: Corbin, Danville, Manchester, Somerset, Hazard and Fort Knox. Noblitt said Somerset area residents will soon be able, perhaps as soon as Spring 2010, to access the remaining courses through an arrangement with the Wayne County Judicial Center. Of course, the entire program is available on the main campus in Richmond. All on- and off-campus sites are ABA-approved.

Tailored for the convenience of working professionals, the EKU paralegal program offers its courses in the evening by a combination of methods: traditional classrooms, interactive television linking several sites, and online.

“For the vast majority of our students, this is a second career or a way for them to move up in their law office,” Noblitt said. “Our program is low-cost, with a very low student-teacher ratio and a host of student services.” In addition, “all our faculty members have juris doctorate degrees, and this includes several local judges and practicing attorneys who work with paralegals.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, paralegal employment is projected to grow much faster than average as employers try to reduce costs by hiring paralegals to perform various tasks once done by lawyers. A Bureau report went on to say that experienced, formally trained paralegals should have the best employment opportunities.

Private law firms, it is expected, will continue to be the largest employer of paralegals, but a growing array of other organizations, such as corporate legal departments, insurance companies, real estate and title insurance firms, and banks also hire paralegals.

In a recent survey, EKU paralegal alumni reported that almost half found jobs before graduation, and more than 90 percent found employment within six months of graduation.

To learn more about EKU’s paralegal program at BCTC or any other site, call 859-622-1025, e-mail paralegal@eku.edu or visit www.paralegal.eku.edu.