What Paralegal Students are Saying

"My new firm has been keeping me very busy.  I'm at the Cotchett, Pitre, & McCarthy firm now..and am enjoying the challenge.  All the classes that I took at paralegal program have definitely prepared me for the civil litigation world!"
-Oni Szeto

"I just completed the paralegal program last week. I am very happy to have completed the program and look forward to progressing in my career. Working on the paralegal program was very helpful to me in gaining new employment at my present firm. I am sure it will continue to benefit me throughout my career. I am looking forward to new endeavors, to which end I am going to start learning Arabic at Pacific Arabic Language School in San Francisco."
-Paul Coaker, Patent Docketing Assistant

"I must admit, your dedication to the field has certainly enhanced the SF State program, and I am confident we are one of the best out there.  I checked out several programs; only YOU came through to me as grounded in sincerely providing the field with very well prepared paraprofessionals.  It is in that vein that I will continue to update you of things that will be of value to our  program overall and the students in particular.  You're the best! and we are sooo fortunate to have you as our Program Director."
-Aileen Ford, Second Semester Paralegal Student

"I am going through a career change and was very excited as well as scared to set foot in to this completely new field. For starters, I attended the open house at the beginning of the semester, and I cannot begin to express as to how much information I gained by just listening to working paralegals and Pat Medina. At the end of the session I was absolutely sure about this program here at SF State Extended Learning. At the open house Pat Medina welcomed us and shared her experience as a paralegal and also as the director for this program. She made this career transition very smooth for me and is always been there for her students.

A couple of months into the program, I started looking for a job within a law firm. As Pat had encouraged us to look at the job board on campus and also online, I did so and started to apply to various entry-level positions. Meanwhile, Pat also helped me, with my résumé and she really geared it towards becoming a perfect résumé for a position at a law firm. I had never worked in a firm before, but Pat was very supportive and did not let me get discouraged for not having any sort of experience in the legal field. Her support and contribution towards me and many other students is incredible. She is an asset to the University.

I now work in a law firm, here in the financial district as a part-time law clerk, which is perfect as I continue my studies. So, I encourage all new students to take advantage of our job board and also seek guidance, help, and support from our great mentor, Pat Medina."
-Lekhini Joshi, First Semester Student from India

“I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed the Advanced Legal Research Class. Since January, I have been asked to research the legislative history of a statute, trace the ownership of a piece of property, check the registration of a fictitious business name, and determine the availability of a trademark... The syllabus of your class has proven to be extremely topical and the skills you taught us immediately applicable. Thank you.”
- Anne Koike, Graduate

"I am grateful for all that you have told us about paralegal work, particularly in regards to UPL. I can see why your program at SF State is held in high regard by students and employers. Graduates can really hit the ground running because your program touches on every aspect of paralegal work."
-Jo Ann Lew, Student

"I recently took a California State Exam for a position as an Investigator. Along with English grammar and logic questions, there were many technical, job-related questions directly related to our Evidence class this summer. All of the evidence questions were topics we had gone over in class: Chain of Custody, Relevancy, Collection of Evidence, and Motions in Limine. I didn't have to debate for even a second because I knew the correct answer right away. Whether the laws of evidence pertain to Civil Litigation or Criminal Law, Pat and David's combination style class definitely gave me an edge on my exam. Thank you."
-Melinda Sundt, Student

"...may I just say that I really enjoyed the fact that you pushed all of us to be better communicators, especially when it came to presenting in front of the whole class.  It may have been torture in the beginning, but it will all pay off in the end when we're really called upon to present in front of clients or attorneys.
-Meghann Payumo, speaking about the Communication and Ethics class

"Many times in my life, I have said that, if I had it to do over again, I would have studied law. I found out that it's never too late. After completing a twenty-year career with the U.S. Postal Service, I was ready for a new career. In order to determine what kind of work I would be best suited for, I completed a battery of aptitude and intelligence tests, which resulted in a very strong indication that the paralegal field was the job for me.

Luckily, there was a highly acclaimed paralegal program right here in San Francisco, where I live. The ABA-approved paralegal program at San Francisco State University is so well organized, and the instructors are so knowledgeable and helpful, that nothing stood in the way of my getting a paralegal certificate. The courses I took were all very enjoyable and informative. And, I feel confident that the knowledge I have gained will be a great asset to any employer.

Several times a year, the paralegal program sponsors career fairs, where students (or prospective students) have the privilege of taking part in a friendly panel discussion. The panel is made up of job recruiters and people actually working in the paralegal field. They offer valuable information on what to expect on the job, what to include in a resume, how to prepare for a successful job interview, and many other helpful and informative topics. Every time I have attended the career fairs, I have picked up additional helpful information that I could not have gotten any other way."
-Gordon Gee, Student