International College students can earn paralegal certification

International College of North Naples has big news for legal studies students in its real estate transaction course.

The Attorneys Title Insurance Fund now gives certification in the course.

Beginning winter term 2004, these students will be eligible to sit for the FUND Certification Exam, said International spokeswoman Lisa Ramirez.

The Orlando-based Attorneys Title Insurance Fund, which provides title insurance to member attorneys throughout Florida and several other states, has designated International College's real estate transaction course as a Paralegal Certification Program, Ramirez said.

Program Chairman James Hodge said fund certification fulfills the college's mission of training qualified and quality students for work in the legal field.

"As a result, our students will be more marketable," Hodge said. "The certified paralegal market in Southwest Florida is huge. Every real estate attorney in this area is looking for fund-certified paralegals because of their competency in real estate closings."

Mark Oates, who teaches the existing course, was instrumental in bringing the Paralegal Certification Program to International, Hodge said.

Another bonus for these students is that the fund will offer them lifetime job placement with 6,000 fund member attorneys throughout Florida.

Christine Lord, 20, a legal studies student from Naples, said she signed up for the course at International specifically to sit for the exam and earn the certification.

"The real estate market in Naples is booming, and the fund certification is something to fall back on," said Lord, a legal assistant for a family-law attorney in Naples.

"To have the fund certification on your resume is extremely attractive to attorneys," she said. "What's also critical about the fund course is that it provides hands-on learning that you can actually use in the real world."

International College joins five other Florida colleges to receive the certification designation: St. Petersburg College, Seminole Community College in Sanford, Broward Community College, Manatee Community College and Palm Beach Community College.

For more information call James Hodge at International College at 513-1122.