Director of College’s Paralegal Program Speaking Nationally

“Our spring classes have been progressing extremely well and we look forward to beginning this new fall cohort,” said Mulkeen, who directs the paralegal program at Thomas Edison State College’s School of Professional and Continuing Studies. Registration is open for the program’s fall classes, which begin Sept. 9.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, job outlook and employment prospects for paralegals are projected to grow much faster than average for all occupations through 2014. The demand has apparently caused Mulkeen to receive several invitations to speak about paralegal education throughout the country.

Mulkeen has been a featured speaker at several events, including this year’s annual Paralegal Technical Institute in Pittsburgh, Pa., sponsored by the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) and this year’s annual meeting of the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) in New Orleans.

Mulkeen noted that the major concern of those seeking paralegal certification was the need for quality and flexible educational alternatives.

“The infusion of technology into the practice of law has been rapid and pervasive, helping to enrich the opportunities available to prospective paralegals,” he said. “Paralegals have now become the managers of the flow of information in law offices, corporate and in-house legal counsel, and in government agencies. The Thomas Edison State College program provides students with the basic skills and competencies necessary to succeed in today’s high-powered legal world and introduces them to the technology that has become such an important part of this profession.”

Mulkeen’s latest speaking engagement is much closer to home. He is slated to speak at the Garden State Alliance of Paralegal Associations (GSA) at its 14th annual statewide paralegal convention in October on the growth of the paralegal profession and programs at Thomas Edison State College.

“Our program meets the needs of the profession by offering quality online education developed and conducted by some of the nations leading paralegal educators and authors,” he said. “The program provides a realistic alternative to the classroom for the increasing number of contemporary students who must balance work, family and other obligations as they study.”

Mulkeen said interest in the college’s program has come from both adults currently employed in the legal field and from those interested in a career change. He added that new certificate programs in nurse paralegal and advanced paralegal technology will be announced later this year.

To register in the Professional Certificate Program in Paralegal Studies, or to learn about other professional certificates, visit www.tesc.edu and click on “Professional Certificates,” or contact Thomas Edison State College at (888) 442-8372 or spcs@tesc.edu.

ABOUT THOMAS EDISON STATE COLLEGE
Thomas Edison State College provides flexible, high-quality, collegiate learning opportunities for self-directed adults. One of New Jersey’s 12 senior public institutions of higher education, the College offers 17 associate, baccalaureate and master’s degrees in more than 100 areas of study. Students earn degrees through a wide variety of rigorous and high-quality academic methods that can be customized to meet their individual needs. Identified by Forbes magazine as one of the top 20 colleges and universities in the nation in the use of technology to create learning opportunities for adults, Thomas Edison State College is a national leader in the assessment of adult learning and a pioneer in the use of educational technologies. The College is home to The John S. Watson Institute for Public Policy. The New Jersey State Library is an affiliate of Thomas Edison State College. Further information about admission to the College may be obtained by calling (888) 442-8372, via e-mail at info@tesc.edu or by visiting the College Web site at www.tesc.edu.