While their paths to the Delaware Department of Justice (DDOJ) had different beginnings, Cynthia Good and Sepideh Tarighati both became legal professionals through the same avenue: the University of Delaware Division of Professional Studies (UD PCS) Paralegal Certificate program. The yearlong program, which trains adult learners in the delivery of legal services, gave Good, new to law, and Tarighati, a lawyer from Iran, the tools to pursue fulfilling legal careers from very dissimilar starting points. 

Before enrolling in the paralegal program, Good, a 2024 graduate and current legal administrative specialist for the DDOJ, successfully changed careers once before from education to accounting. After nearly two decades in accounting, she took a hiatus to homeschool her daughter and then reentered the workforce seeking a new challenge. 

“Various people had mentioned to me that because of my organizational skills and my attention to detail that I would make a good paralegal,” said Good, who selected UD’s program for its condensed format and cost-efficiency.

With no prior legal experience, Good recalls UD’s program — an 11-month hybrid course based in Wilmington and live-online that next begins Sept. 3 — gave her an introduction to the field overall and helped hone the skills she’d need to pursue any legal administrative role. 

“It not only provided me with an understanding of the legal process, but it also helped me develop research skills and refine my writing skills,” said Good, referring to the six modules taught by experienced attorneys. The class format invited guest speakers — often colleagues of the instructors — to share real-world insights. Good was particularly inspired by the paralegals and administrative specialists who visited her final module, Criminal Law and Procedure, taught by William Leonard, deputy attorney general for Delaware.

“It was very practical, and it gave me an insight into how I could see myself fitting into a future role in this field,” said Good, unaware she’d later join that very division.

Initially struggling to find a paralegal position, Good’s connection to the certificate program led her to secure an administrative specialist role in the Criminal Division, Leonard’s department. 

“He was able to see the quality of my work and attention to detail during his class, which translated into the work I could do in the office,” said Good, who interviewed with Leonard personally. While she wasn’t selected at first, she was Leonard’s first call when the position reopened. “I interviewed in the fall, and wasn’t hired until six months later,” joked Good, who had the unique experience of becoming colleagues with a favorite teacher.

While Leonard’s module introduced her to criminal law, Legal Research and Writing with Rae Simonini Campagnola, contract attorney, gave Good practical experience drafting precise legal documents. 

“This attention to detail is critical in my current position,” said Good, whose role involves tracking important deadlines and organizing case files.

Tarighati, a 2020 program graduate and current paralegal for the DDOJ's Fraud Division, overcame many personal and professional obstacles to return to her legal career. After earning her master’s in law, Tarighati practiced in Tehran for a few years before emigrating to the United States in 2014. When her husband, Kassra Oskooii, joined UD as an associate professor of political science, the family moved from Washington to Delaware, where Tarighati was eager to pursue her own academic goals. 

“I wanted to start again — to go to law school — but I realized that would be a long shot for me,” said Tarighati, uncertain about the academic commitment whilst learning a second language. After attending UD’s English Language Institute (ELI), Tarighati decided PCS’ Paralegal Certificate was a more realistic way to reenter her profession. Although she planned to enroll a year prior, Tarighati delayed after she became pregnant with her daughter, and didn’t start classes until mid-2019. About halfway through the program, another unforeseeable impediment arose: the COVID-19 pandemic.

Balancing online learning, a newborn and her coursework, Tarighati admits she considered dropping out if it weren’t for the guidance of Monica Horton. A judge in the Delaware Court of Common Pleas and former UD instructor, Horton taught her first module, Introduction to Law for Paralegals. Struggling with the language barrier, Tarighati was encouraged by Horton to continue, giving her pep talks at the end of each class. Despite the program’s comprehensive curriculum, Tarighati remained committed. “I couldn’t drop [out] because it was the only way I could start my professional job in the United States. So I studied and studied, and [thankfully] I’m here now.”

As a DDOJ paralegal for the past four years — first in the Civil Division and then the Fraud Division — Tarighati credits the Legal Research and Writing module for making her proficient in the citation style guide, The Bluebook, a skill she demonstrated at auxiliary paralegal training. 

“I was the only paralegal who’d answered all the questions right and [the instructor] was so impressed. He asked, ‘Where did you get your [certificate]?’ And I said, ‘UD,’” Tarighati noted with pride.

Since graduating from the UD PCS program, both alumnae have found fulfillment at the DDOJ in careers that continue to grow. Good, who enjoys her operational duties and utilizing her strengths on a daily basis, has ambitions that lie beyond an administrative desk. 

“While I’m happy in my current role … I would like to move into a paralegal position at some point,” said Good. In the meantime, she views her contributions as a small, but integral part of the justice system. 

Tarighati is happiest when she’s connecting with the plaintiffs, recalling a time when she helped victims of board prosecutions and, more recently, those affected by criminal fraud cases. 

“I know they’re struggling and in really bad situations,” said Tarighati, who found her purpose supporting clients through difficult times. “It’s a lot, but I’m enjoying it because this is what I wanted to do.”