How To Prepare Yourself For A Paralegal Career Or Advancement

Did you know that these days when professional opportunities are declining, the Paralegal field is blooming with opportunities you can grab with two hands? Yes, opportunities are positively expanding in the paralegal field.

This, obviously, is because the practice of law is expanding necessitating the need for Paralegals. There has never been a better for a Paralegal job. As more and more lawyers graduate so also is the need for Paralegals mounting on a daily basis.

As should be expected, this great need for Paralegals has also brought about the mushrooming of both accredited and none accredited Paralegal schools and institutions, both online and offline.

Therefore, selecting a Paralegal institution, whether online or offline entails some research on your part. What you must know in the first instance is that Paralegal institutions that are worth your trust must be ABA (American Bar Association) approved, belong to National Paralegal Organizations, and have, among other levels of Paralegal courses, a foundation course for beginners in which you will be taught the rudiments of Paralegal concepts following which you can then decide to specialize in areas such as litigation, real estate, estate and will, trust, and corporate law.

If you are desirous of doing a Paralegal course on a part time basis, the online option is advised, because of the following reasons:

1. An online Paralegal course will allow you the convenience of taking the course at your own pace.
2. There is flexibility and the benefit of studying at home using your PC and Internet connection.
3. Fees are paid per course module for most Paralegal online courses.

Obtaining an online paralegal degree will provide you with opportunities for advancing your career or finding new employment opportunities with law firms, the judiciary or the legal departments of organizations and the private sector, give it a thought in 2007.

Neshah writes for your Success. Recommended: Online Paralegal Degree Success blog or Online Paralegal Degree Programs Success, the road maps to successful online paralegal degree programs

Online Paralegal Courses

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Employment Projections predicts a growth of over 33 percent in the legal assistant profession during the first decade of 2000. The median annual salary for full-time paralegals and legal assistants as of May, 2004 was $39,130. Online paralegal programs make it simple to learn the necessary skills for employment in this growing, lucrative profession.

Paralegals assist lawyers in the delivery of legal services by performing a wide variety of tasks such as research, drafting formal documents, preparing for real estate closings, preparing for court hearings and gathering information from pertinent parties. Paralegals are prohibited from giving legal advice, which can only be given by an attorney. However, through formal education and field experience, paralegals gain enough knowledge and expertise to handle legal matters under the supervision of an attorney. Much like attorneys, many offices bill hourly for the work performed on a file by a paralegal, only at a lower rate.

Over 1,000 schools offer formal paralegal programs and more than 600 different paralegal programs exist. About 260 paralegal programs are approved by the American Bar Association (ABA), the governing association for attorneys. Although ABA approval is not necessary, graduation from such courses may enhance possible employment opportunities for the student. Requirements for admission to paralegal online schools is as varied as the number of courses currently available and may include a high school diploma, bachelor's degree or completion of a standardized test. Online paralegal courses enable students to get experience in a legal environment while learning essential skills to progress in their field.

Online paralegal programs include 2-year associate's degree programs, 4-year bachelor's degree programs and certificate programs, usually geared for students with a degree that want to specialize in paralegal studies. A few universities even offer master's degree programs in areas such as paralegal studies, legal studies and legal administration. Online paralegal programs can be completed in as little as six months or can take up to four years, depending on the course of education the student chooses. Online paralegal courses are offered through written coursework, reading assignments, email, online chats and virtual lectures.

Seven out of ten paralegals are employed by law firms and the rest work for government agencies and corporate legal departments, with a small number offering their services on a freelance basis to attorney and agencies. The United States Department of Labor states that the largest employers of paralegals within the Federal Government are the U.S. Department of Justice, the Social Security Administration and the Department of Treasury. The agency that offers certification and ethical guidelines to paralegals is the National Association of Legal Assistants, along with the National Federation for Paralegal Associations.

Paralegal online schools are a great way for students to learn while they earn in a prestigious, challenging profession.

SUMMARY: Online paralegal programs include 2-year associate's degree programs, 4-year bachelor's degree programs and certificate programs, usually geared for students with a degree that want to specialize in paralegal studies. A few universities even offer master's degree programs in areas such as paralegal studies, legal studies and legal administration. Online paralegal programs can be completed in as little as six months or can take up to four years, depending on the course of education the student chooses. The median annual salary for full-time paralegals and legal assistants as of May, 2004 was $39,130.

Rose M. is the editor of http://www.distance-learning-college-guide.com where you find answers, information and advice on distance learning colleges, accredited online degrees and online courses. See more related information on online paralegal courses and colleges.

Want To Upgrade As A Paralegal?

Paralegal Careers are available in law firms and legal departments of both Government agencies and Private Organizations. Schools and institutions in which you can advance or begin your Paralegal training are available both online and off line.

Note that a school offering degrees, training and certificates in Paralegal programs may not be accredited to the national paralegal associations and, the American Bar Association may not have approved such a school.

Do not enrol into a school or institution that has no affiliation with The National Federation of Paralegal Association or approved by the American Bar Association. The National Federation of Paralegal Associations recommends that a person should have a bachelor's degree to practice as a Paralegal, though this recommendation falls short by almost 50% according to a survey conducted recently to check the qualifications of practicing paralegals in the Unites States, employers are sticking to a bachelor?s degree as the basic entry requirement for a paralegal.

This is, no doubt, because the work of a Paralegal entails a commensurate intellectual capacity, just as a lawyer should have, to be able to discharge legal functions either in a law firm or in the legal department of an organization or Government agency.

However, some people who are already working in a paralegal environment may enrol in institutions that offer Paralegal certificates to upgrade their status, but as said earlier, such a person should be a bachelor degree holder.

The paralegal field is vast, so you can choose classes to prepare you for public administration, policy-making, ethics and public responsibility, interviewing and research techniques, writing, introductions to criminal law, commercial law, government law, litigation and management.

To recap, do not enrol in any institution that is not approved by the American Bar Association, most employers will not employ applicants who hold certificates or degrees from such institutions in the United States.

Neshah writes for your success ? visit Online Paralegal Degree Success or Online Paralegal Degree Blog for more information and resources before you embark on online a Paralegal course

Career As A Paralegal

The paralegal profession is currently experiencing a great deal of growth and prosperity. With the average USA annual salary averaging around $34,000 for local and state work, nearly double that for Federal Government work, and much more in the private sector, it?s no wonder this career field is growing. Let?s take a look at just a few reasons why a career as a paralegal is so rewarding.

Challenging Work

Attorneys pass much of their workload along to paralegals, also known as legal assistants. However, paralegals may not perform all of an attorney tasks, these tasks include setting legal fees, giving out legal advice, and presenting court cases. But they may play a role in virtually everything else.

Case preparation is part of a paralegals workload. Paralegals often help lawyers with background information and research, legal history, case studies, fact-finding investigations, document preparation and analysis, plea documents, folder, record and file handling. The work they perform is often involved with hearings, trials, closing comments, and corporate functions.

Jobs are available for paralegals in many types of companies and organizations. They work with employee benefits, labor law, criminal law, corporate law, government (at all levels), real estate and bankruptcy. And you?ll find them working in personal injury law and litigation as well.

Career Tidbits

The following list includes a few pieces of interesting information concerning paralegals:

- Paralegals usually work year round, although temporary paralegal work is available. Although 40 hours is average, heavy workloads are a possibility. Work isn?t always at the office; paralegals need to work in libraries and often travel in order to gather relevant information.

- In 2004, there were 224,000 paralegal jobs, with private practices employing roughly 7 out of 10 of them.

- Job opportunities for paralegals are expected to climb at a faster than average rate through the year 2014.

There?s no better time to check into being a paralegal than now!

All Rights Reserved. Visit Paralegal Career to learn more about a career as a paralegal.

How To Choose ABA Approved Online Paralegal Degree Programs - Part I

Paralegal Studies institutions approved by ABA (American Bar Association) all have the following characteristics...

Curriculum for Paralegals is usually ABA curriculum tailored towards providing you, after a successful completion of paralegal studies, the skills and opportunities of working as a lawyer's assistant in research, document preparation, client interviews and drafting of legal documents. As a qualified paralegal your services are also required in the legal departments of corporations, firms and organizations.

Another aspect of ABA approved Paralegal program is the pre-law specialization that prepares you for the law school proper.

ABA approved Paralegal institutions offer Associate of Applied Science, Post Degree Certificate, (only those who have already obtained a bachelor or associate degree are qualified). Bachelor of Science degree on Paralegal Studies and Certificate in Legal Nurse Consulting are two other programs offered by ABA approved paralegal study institutions.

ABA approved Paralegal institution’s minimum course duration is 1 - 2 academic years and internship is mandatory in most schools.

If you are looking for ABA approved Paralegal Education Program, then the Standing Committee on Paralegals Directory of ABA approved Paralegal Education Programs is where to look.

Some work experience is usually beneficial for an intending paralegal student like you. Courses, depending on the type of institution, can run for between 2 (for community and junior colleges) to 4 years in a University. Aside from the general requirements above, the ABA Standing Committee Directory listing carry varying standard requirements for different instructions in terms of duration of course, course content and admission requirements.

Therefore, you should consider the factors favourable to you while choosing any particular school or institution.

More than 1000 institutions are offering Paralegal degree and certificate programs in the United States of America, but the ABA approved Paralegal institutions can be found at the ABA standing committee Directory of Paralegal schools.ABA approval for Paralegal schools or instructions is not mandatory by law so it is not a measure of the quality of or reputability of an institution that it is ABA approved, yet institutions have found it necessary to get ABA approval by meeting the ABA requirement in order to, I suppose, bluster their image. My advise is that you should go for ABA approved institutions for your paralegal studies.

Online institutions like their offline counterparts are of different categories and as such offer different qualities of course content programs. You should as a matter of fact take a critical look at the institution offering the Paralegal Degree Online program you chose. Carry out your investigation with the information below to ensure that such institution is an ABA approved paralegal degree online program.

INSIGHT INTO ABA ONLINE PARALEGAL DEGREE PROGRAMS

Paralegal degree programs prepares you for employment as a paralegal or legal assistant in a private law office and even both the public and the private sectors such as banking, insurance, real estate etc. Care must, however, be taken to ensure that a chosen school or online paralegal degree program is approved by the American Bar Association in conjunction with the institution being an institutional member of the American Association for Paralegal education (AAFPE) and other relevant regulatory bodies for Paralegal studies.

Concluding Part II will be on this same category soon.

Neshah, a retired paralegal, writes for your success - get free paralegal information and resources at http://online-paralegal-degree.fateback.com