Legal and Paralegal Education

Prospective students who are interested in attaining legal and paralegal education should know that many community colleges, online schools and trade schools offer these academic law programs.

While some vocational schools do offer Bachelor and Master Degrees, most vocational academic institutions offer Associate Degree programs in legal and paralegal education, which are designed to provide students with the basic skills to earn professional certification.

Of the many law schools and legal and paralegal schools in the U.S., nearly a quarter of them are approved by the American Bar Association. Typical curriculums (in addition to standard academics) would include legal software applications, legal terminology and documents, and other relevant subjects of study.

After completion of a legal and paralegal education, and upon attaining sufficient work experience, graduates may opt to take the National Association of Legal Assistants Exam (NALA). Once the candidate has passed the NALA exam, he or she is qualified to carry the "CLA" (Certified Legal Assistant) title. Students may also take the Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam after attaining a Bachelor's Degree, plus two years of on-the-job experience. Passing this exam enables students to use the title Registered Paralegal (RP).

Earnings for paralegals can be quite excellent, as the median annual salary of paralegals and legal assistants is roughly right around $40,000. With an extensive legal and paralegal education and combined work experience, professionals in this field can earn as much as $60,000 annually.

If you would like to learn more about Legal and Paralegal Education or even Online Legal and Paralegal Schools, you can find more in-depth information and resources on our website.

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Michael Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find Legal and Paralegal Schools, Colleges, Universities, Vocational Schools, and Online Schools at SchoolsGalore.com, your educational resource to locate schools.

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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What Do I Need To Take A Online Paralegal Course?

When you choose to take an online paralegal course, it is important to understand the things you will need prior to taking the classes. It is helpful to have an understanding of the field itself.

Paralegals are assistants who carry out some of the duties of lawyers. They are typically highered by law firms or federal agencies, and assist in legal work. When taking an online course, most online programs require you to have at least a high school diploma an equivalent.

A paralegal online course will require students to read extensive amounts of information. When students graduate and begin work in the field, they are also expected to do a lot of research. It is important for you to have comprehensive reading skills when going into this type of online program.

You will need to be able to rapidly process data and understand the information that is presented to you. There are no formal requirements you need to have in order to begin taking online courses other than a high school diploma.

Most of the skills you will need to be employed as a paralegal will be taught to you when you take the course. You will need to have an interest and understanding of the American legal system. You will need to understand how to follow directions, and how to perform procedures.

If you are hands on type of person, taking an online course as a paralegal may not be the best option for you. Paralegals spend long hours pouring over documents or sitting in front of computer screens. This may be difficult for people who like to be more active.

When taking an online paralegal course, it is important to have excellent communication skills. Students who graduate and work in the field will be required to conduct interviews with clients. This requires students to be able to effectively communicate and get their thoughts across.

Paralegals also work with foreclosures and immigration issues. They review foreclosure documents related to all owners and lien holders of the property. When dealing with immigration issues, they communicate information between the clients and lawyers.

It is also important to understand how to prepare documents. This is a skill that students will be taught when taking online paralegal courses. Paralegals also deal with bankruptcies, and will interview clients and prepare documents.

Paralegals also review documents for corporations. To do this one needs to be able to quickly read and comprehend documents. Paralegals also work in collections, drafting documents and sending letters of demand to people who owe debts.

Paralegals also deal with family law, and may accompany lawyers to interviews with clients. Paralegals must be able to identify any legal problems that may arise and obtain background information on the clients. Very few requirements are needed to take online paralegal courses.

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The Paralegal Certificate Program

A paralegal or legal assistant is a person qualified by education, training or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible.

A paralegal has a limited task that can perform. He cannot represent a client on a trial or accept a case. He cannot also give legal advice. In short, a paralegal cannot perform functions that are considered as a law practice. The paralegal performs some duties of the attorney such as but not limited to conducting and interview to the client, locating witnesses, conducting investigation, legal research, and interviews, drafting legal document, correspondents and pleadings with the supervision of an attorney.

To become a certified paralegal or Certified Legal Assistant CLA, he or she must achieve requirements such as graduating from a paralegal certificate program that is approved by the ABA; or an associate degree program; or a paralegal post-baccalaureate certificate program; or a paralegal certificate program with 60 semester hours of which at least 15 semester hours are substantive legal courses. He can also be a paralegal if he or she has any bachelors degree plus a one year experience as a legal assistant with a completion of at least 15 semester hours or substantive legal assistant courses. Or he or she could have a high school diploma or equivalent to seven years experience as a legal assistant under the supervision of a member of the Bar.

If an individual want to become a paralegal through paralegal certificate program, many educational institutions are offering paralegal certificate program as a professional course. It is aimed to prepare future paralegal certificate program holders in paralegal career. The paralegal certificate program of some institutions are focused of practical skills and research while other are focused on classroom lectures while other paralegal certificate program can be acquired online.

Institutions give paralegal certificate program which covers the following topics: Legal Research, Legal Writing and Reasoning, Technology and the Paralegal, Real Estate, Corporate Law, Litigation, and Probate. Some offers the paralegal certificate program upon completion of the Introduction to Law for Paralegals, Legal Research and Writing, Civil Procedure, Torts, Contract Law, and Criminal Law and Procedure. Although it varies from institution to institution paralegal certificate program should be based on the paralegal certificate program approved by the American Bar Association ABA. A grade not lower than C should also be maintained to attain the paralegal degree.

Admission depends on the institution offering paralegal certificate program. Some recommend a bachelors degree or at least completing 60 semester credit hours, or equivalent, of general education courses for one of any accredited colleges or universities in the country, while some institutions offering the paralegal certificate program accepts applicant which has achieved at least 3.0 GPA.

Either way, entering on a paralegal certificate program is a good start in achieving a wide career in the field that needs a lot of dedication, patience, and discipline.

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