Online Paralegal Programs

If you are looking for a career in the legal profession as a paralegal, you can find several online programs offered by recognized universities and colleges. These online certificate programs offer you a widening array of choices that range from those institutions that are just combining online course work into classroom instruction, to those who provide complete degree programs fully in cyberspace.

The course syllabi include legal concepts and practical paralegal techniques; all are applicable to real-world situations. The classes prepare individuals to get ready for court, conduct legal research, interview clients and witnesses, and prepare documents. In more specialized programs, students can find out the nuances of criminal defense, bankruptcy, corporate law, or public policy.

Online schools offer associate degrees, bachelor degrees and certificates in paralegal studies. The common degrees are AAS (Associate of Applied Science) in paralegal, BS (Bachelor of Science) in paralegal, and associate of arts degree in paralegal. An AAS degree can be completed in as little as twelve months, and as many as two years. BS degree takes a little longer time, with 180 credits to be studied in a time period of four years or less. A paralegal certificate can be accomplished with twenty-four credits, and can take as little as fourteen months, and as much as eighteen months to complete.

The key advantages of online paralegal programs are no campus attendance, no commuting, and no deadline strain. All their exams are open-book/open notes. You can enroll any time and have affordable, interest-free tuition. Many programs help students use advanced technology with a combination of e-mail, chat rooms, synchronous and asynchronous discussion groups, complimented by textbooks and fieldwork.

By enrolling in paralegal online programs accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA), students can assure future employers that they can offer comprehensive assistance in the delivery of legal services. In the United States, several accredited schools offer complete paralegal studies programs online. Among the major schools are Maryland University College in Maryland, Washington Online Learning Institute, Canyon College in Idaho, Kaplan University, and Keiser College eCampus.

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Online Colleges - Raising the Bar in Paralegal Studies

Today, students can enroll in an online college to acquire adequate skills and training in fields of paralegal and legal assisting in less than two years time. Because many working adults simply do not have the time to travel to and from campuses; or can?t meet rigorous schedules and deadlines, online colleges developed essential paralegal programs, which can lead to certification and/or an Associate?s Degree.

Some folks might assume that online college paralegal studies are less in-depth than traditional school curriculums; on the contrary, in many cases, online college legal assistant courses are often as comprehensive as conventional instruction methods. Subsequently, online college students who are enrolled in a paralegal course often gain a wealth of additional technical skills as they learn how to use computer interface programs proficiently, as well as other multimedia materials that are integrated for student academic use.

One of many outstanding features that online colleges provide for their paralegal students is an often, one-on-one interaction between both pupils and instructors, and fellow students. A personalized format, online college students who are learning about the legal system will commonly receive constructive feedback from teachers on individual projects and class assignments. In addition, students may also work collaboratively with other online students with the use of high-tech software. In essence, online colleges sometimes afford a greater span of technological and practical training to their students then do traditional colleges of a similar field.

Online colleges that offer paralegal programs of study are comprised of detailed coursework including but not limited to Business Law I (business crimes; contracts; agencies; employment and negotiation); Business Law II (bailment; agency principles and liabilities; partnerships; corporations; stockholders; negotiable securities); Introduction to Legal Assisting (legal terminology; bibliography; litigation projects); Civil Litigation; Tort Law; Claims Investigation; Wills, Trust and Probate Administration; Civil and Criminal Evidence; Legal Writing; Marriage and Family Law; Property and Creditor Rights; Basic Probate Administration; and Legal Research Laboratory ? among other relevant subject matter.

Though an online associate?s degree in paralegal studies often covers additional general education courses, a certificate in paralegal training is more course-intensive. Online college students that have successfully completed educational requirements of a paralegal study program may opt to take and pass an exam to become a Certified Legal Assistant through the NALA (National Association of Legal Assistants); those who go onto attaining their bachelor?s degree may also sit for and pass the National Federation of Paralegal Associations exam to be designated as a Registered Paralegal (RP).

Online college candidates who have achieved paralegal status may embrace rewarding careers in the field. While income varies depending on education and experience, paralegal earnings may range from $25,000 to over $61,000 annually.

If you are thinking about enrolling in an Online College to attain your paralegal education or would simply like to learn about some of the programs that they offer, feel free to visit the Distance Learning Directory at SchoolsGalore.com for more information.

?09/12/2006 ? Online Colleges - Raising the Bar in Paralegal Studies

By C. Bailey-Lloyd for Media Positive Communications, Inc., Managing Organization for SchoolsGalore.com

C. Bailey-Lloyd, Public Relations Director & Staff Writer for SchoolsGalore.com -- Your source of information for Distance Learning Online; Online Schools; and other Online Universities.

Online Degrees Can Charge Your Legal And Paralegal Careers

The need for trained legal professionals and paralegals is expected to grow faster than the national average for job growth within the next five years. Stiff competition is expected, making your decision to enter the legal profession a critical one. The online program you choose will be a crucial decision affecting the level of success you enjoy.

While paralegals and legal assistants once were trained on the job, employers today are increasingly depending upon employees who have already completed some type of formal legal education or training. That's why a legal or paralegal certification, degree or online degree is so important to your future success in the legal profession.

One of a paralegal's most important tasks is helping lawyers prepare for closings, hearings, trials, and corporate meetings. Your classes and online programs will teach you to investigate the facts of cases and ensure that all relevant information is considered. Colleges and online schools also will teach you critical skills such as preparing the legal arguments, drafting pleadings and motions to be filed with the court, obtaining affidavits, and assisting attorneys during trials.

Once you have earned your legal certification via an online legal degree, you will be able to find work in all types of organizations, but most are employed by law firms, corporate legal departments, and various government offices. Your degree program or online courses will prepare you for work in all areas of the law, including litigation, personal injury, corporate law, criminal law, employee benefits, intellectual property, labor law, bankruptcy, immigration, family law, and real estate.

Because computer use and technical knowledge has become essential to paralegal work, a well-rounded degree program or online program is critical.There are several ways to become a paralegal. Increasingly, employers prefer graduates of four-year paralegal programs or college graduates who have completed paralegal certificate or online paralegal training programs.

Over 800 formal paralegal training programs are offered by 4-year colleges and universities, law schools, community and junior colleges, business schools, and proprietary schools.

Paralegal programs include 2-year associate's degree programs, 4-year bachelor's degree programs, and certificate programs that take only a few months to complete. Many certificate programs only require a high school diploma or GED for admission, but they usually are designed for students who already hold an associate or baccalaureate degree.Your legal or paralegal education will prepare you for a rewarding and relaxed life. According to the National Association of Legal Assistants, paralegals had an average salary of $38,000 in 2000.

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How Do I Get An Online Paralegal Certificate?

If you are looking to get an online certificate as a paralegal, you will find that there are many resources available on the internet. There are programs available online which are designed for novice as well as advanced legal students.

The first step in getting an online paralegal certificate is to look at the various online colleges available and make comparisons between them. You will want to choose a college, which has competitive prices, combined with an excellent program and high graduation rates.

Paralegal students will be trained to assist attorneys, investigate patterns, interview witnesses, and do research on the law. Students will also prepare cases for the courtroom. Many online colleges will focus on teaching students the areas of law, which are in the most demand.

For many of these programs there are no formal classes you will need to take, and you can get started immediately. Students are expected to complete a large number of homework assignments on a weekly basis. This will allow students to help their law office become more successful and efficient.

Successful paralegal students will be awarded certificates after completing the first stage of the course. They will have to take a series of exams in the final stage in order to pass. The type of exams and programs will vary for each college, so it is important for you to research the college you're interested in.

Many online programs offer financial aid for students who have difficulty paying for their classes. It is important to contact the college you're interested in to find out what type of financial aid programs they have.

Paralegal students who have the skills of both a legal secretary and attorney are in high demand. These students need to have an advanced understanding of the law, and must work well with a lawyer. Students must be able to effectively apply their skills after graduation.

It is also possible for paralegal students to specialize in certain areas, such as family law, personal insurance, probate, and immigration law. Students will need to learn and enhance their critical thinking skills, computer skills, and communications.

Students must be organized and have a basic knowledge of American history. It is important for students to choose online programs, which offer the latest technology in preparing them to work in the law office. Upon graduation students must be able to get at least a entry level job as a paralegal.

When getting a certificate as a paralegal, it is important to study and follow ethics. It is important for the students to serve their community, and make sound decisions. Oral communication is important, and the student must understand how to perform legal research. Paralegal programs are some of the most popular for students taking online classes today, and students with these types of skills are in high demand in the legal market.

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Paralegal Studies to Counter Increasing Demands for Legal Assistants

An attorney, judge, prosecutor, or any public defender cannot assume full responsibility over whole phase of legal work. Even with their outstanding and brilliant minds, they still cannot carry on without any assistant. With their hectic and extremely tight schedules, preparation for their legal duties must be given attention by an assistant before they can proceed with the formal proceedings. This is where paralegals come into the scene. And who are these paralegal assistants? These are the persons who had backgrounds in paralegal profession.

First, what is paralegal and who are these paralegal persons? Paralegal is called a profession, which endures most interesting aspects of legal activities like variety of tasks of legal community. Within the bounds of paralegal profession encompasses diverse range of responsibilities, projects, environments, and functions in legal industry. A paralegal may not assume the legal work of the lawyers, however they carry in their own hands tasks such as whole segment of trial preparation or case management. Their key duties include: analyses of documents and data in relation to legal proceedings of the cases, compiling, organizing, then presenting the newfound information to the lawyer. Presentation is carefully condensed into an outline with case history, plan of actions plus relevant notes that will help construct any precedents, case, hearings, or laws matters.

Among countless agencies where a paralegal assistant will be found are: courts, state and government agencies, corporations, finance companies, banks, accounting firms, engineering firms, consumer organizations, legal aid offices. Some of the commercial firms where a paralegal can provide services are: entertainment production outfits, public relations agencies, advertising companies, insurance agencies, or real estate agencies. Flexibility of paralegal profession may also be seen in surroundings like civil rights and criminal law, civil litigation, health care, family laws, environmental protection, corporate law, immigration, and others.

Rendering services for paralegal jobs does not really require a specific academic education. So, how does one become a paralegal? There are some who have only gone on-the-job-training. Many have formal education for paralegal studies like bachelors degree or two-year course for paralegal education while others have completed different paralegal certificates. Some paralegal certificates can be completed by merely a matter of months from a paralegal school. There is also a post-baccalaureate paralegal certificate offered by some paralegal education courses. Paralegal schools offer paralegal programs.

Paralegal studies are offered for students to bring them up into the rewarding careers of paralegal professionals. In paralegal training, each would be aided by lawyers in the legal industry. Paralegal courses will initially supply students with substantial knowledge so that they could be fully prepared to practical skills and meet high standards of industry in terms of proficiency, academic excellence, and professional integrity. Paralegal studies institutes are widely spread to meet solutions for the escalating demands of paralegal or legal assistants. Paralegal schools made it particularly practical and efficient by offering online paralegal studies for the students. If a student does not have the means to render much time to complete paralegal studies, he can opt for the online paralegal schools. Paralegal studies online are a flexible way to complete paralegal education such as paralegal certificates program, paralegal bachelors degree program, and paralegal post-bachelors certificates.

Responsibilities of paralegal positions have been increasing gradually that they are already running out of resources how to curtail the equally elevating workload of attorneys and lawyers. With this concern, paralegal schools now offer paralegal training courses in many paralegal certification programs. A student can search through online for the best paralegal schools that offer these courses.

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Paralegal Training Programs for Career Advancement Sara JenkinsWith the recent years significant increase in legal worlds activities, lawyers and attorneys are also equated with intensified workload that they cannot uphold these duties on their own anymore. With this matter, paralegals or legal assistants come into action. And this would also mean an additional task to their responsibilities that might require them for knowledge enhancement. But no worries as paralegal training programs are offered by paralegal schools to equip potential paralegal students with expertise in their fields. Paralegal schools prepare students for a rewarding career in paralegal world through their paralegal certification or paralegal education. The students are offered privileges to develop their skills and knowledge that supply them with efficiency to perform their duties as paralegals or legal assistants. Typically, paralegal training programs offer courses that would augment the students abilities to take up paralegal duties and responsibilities entitled to them under an attorney or lawyers supervision. Paralegal training would equip students with introduction from general duties of the paralegals including legal terminologies and the knowledge in court system. They are also taught to conduct legal research and interviews. After this level they are taught on how to analyze and compose this analysis into an effective legal document.

With the prevalence of expansion of the law firms duties, another field of career opportunities is now open for their advancement in their career. Once the students have completed general courses, they can elect to continue their paralegal studies with different specialized areas offered by paralegal training program. Specialized courses offer choices of elective courses leading towards specific fields of the study. This would allow students to gain additional expertise in a specific field and enable them to perform a number of tasks in paralegal exercises. By taking special paralegal courses, students will be provided with foundation on paralegal profession and render them more competence in the job market. With unpredicted changes in the legal market, it is deemed essential to prepare these students into more challenging areas of paralegal matters so that they can be more equipped with specialization which other matters lawyers are handling may be conveyed unto paralegals. Just like any education, all paralegal training programs come with subjects that train the students in areas of legal ethics and as well as professional responsibilities.

Paralegal training can be completed through traditional classroom system or the more flexible paralegal online classes. Paralegal training online offer the same quality as that of traditional system. But, there is more advantage in taking paralegal training through the internet as students can complete their training at their own pace of time. Distance learning programs for paralegal training also offer more flexibility and accessibility without sacrificing any of the course content of a traditional classroom system can offer. With the increase of the demands in paralegal education, paralegal schools are now tapping the services of the internet to offer students specifically those that cannot devote full time to accomplish paralegal training in a classroom. Over time, online paralegal classes are becoming a trend in the market because of its special advantages that guarantee students.

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