How Do Paralegals Get Smart?

A paralegal is by nature bright and socially adept. She has mastered language skills, and can artfully feint and parry both verbally and in written form. He is a whiz at multi-tasking. Their deductive reasoning is unparalleled.

What makes paralegals so smart?

? Obviously, individuals can take credit where personal credit is due. Some legal assistants are gifted or quick learners. Others just plain work hard to achieve their goals, their noses to the grindstone.

? The second ingredient is higher education. Nobody ever got hurt by learning more.

? On-the-job experience, i.e., baptism by fire, completes the makeup of a paralegal?s brilliance.

We?ll leave gifted individuality out of the equation for now, although that might make an interesting separate article later. Somebody remind me! Moving right along to higher education: a college education is pretty much considered mandatory these days. An associate?s degree would be the minimum requirement for many jobs, and most career positions demand a bachelor?s degree. Highly specialized training in the fields of law, science and medicine, mean even more years in school.

Depending on how far a paralegal wants to go in his career, he may be able to fly on his own coat tails through an associate?s degree, or two years of higher education. This is particularly true if classes focus specifically on paralegal training. Many two-year paralegal degrees require a number of hours ?shadowing? a paralegal during work, and doing as many tasks as possible under the supervision of an attorney or paralegal. That actually combines bullets two and three, but let?s not get ahead of ourselves!

The last subpart is on-the-job experience. Once you?re to this point, you deserve a pat on the back. You?re hired! Now all you have to do is steadily improve your skills. How does a paralegal improve her skills? By rapt attention to the work of other paralegals, attention to details in general and the files assigned to her, and attending the needs of her assigned attorney. To stay current on changes in law and technology that affect her position as a paralegal, she attends seminars. In the midst of all that attention to attending, or is it attending to attention, he also joins paralegal associations and volunteers on committees.

We must not forget another way paralegals can be smart. Some of them get hired in various positions in a law office, get their degree either in person or by taking online classes, and with those ?gets,? got smart as they worked their way into a great paralegal position. Do you want to ?Get Smart??

Are you fascinated by trials? Do you like helping people? A career as a Paralegal is challenging, rewarding, and NEVER boring. Sign up for free newsletters that show you how to step into this exciting career. Adventures await you....

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Laura McDonald is a paralegal. She is a member of NFPA (National Federation of Paralegal Associations). Laura is experienced in the areas of personal injury, civil litigation, family, environmental and corporate law, estate planning and bankruptcy. She works for Michael L. Hawkins & Associates, P.L.L.C., located in Frankfort, Kentucky. The firm's website is http://www.mlhlawky.com

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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Paralegals: Don't Burn Bridges

There?s a new job on the horizon. You get to leave your old job. You know, the one with the boss you can?t stand. The really mean one. The one you?d love to give a piece of your mind. Matter of fact, you think you?ll do just that?before you leave?.

It?s perfectly fine to act that one out in fantasy, as many times as delights you. But heed this advice ? don?t do it in reality! And here?s why.

Life has a funny way of tossing curve balls our way. That very same ex-boss with whom you shared your parting piece of mind? Suddenly, he?s opposing counsel on a new case your new attorney boss just accepted. Even worse, he could be your attorney?s co-counsel on a case!

Perish the thought, but what if for some unforeseen reason, your new job doesn?t work out? Now you?re scrambling to interview elsewhere. You need a recent recommendation. It?s going to be rather awkward to ask the one who vividly recalls you spouting off as you waltzed out the door.

One certainly doesn?t have to lie when leaving an unpleasant position. ?Thank you, Mr. Smith, it?s been great working with you. I couldn?t wait to get to work every day. I?ll miss you.? That?s really piling it on, isn?t it? If that were true, why are you leaving?

If questioned as to why you?re leaving, choose a politically correct comment, such as: ?I think my skills are better suited to the new position,? or ?The benefits are simply too good to pass up.? Then, go the extra mile. Offer to train your replacement. Ensure the workload you?re leaving is manageable ? complete tasks that may be difficult for the new employee to assume. Leave detailed notes regarding ongoing assignments, and an updated list of any deadlines or to-do?s for both your boss and your replacement.

The best way to leave a job, even a job for the boss you really won?t miss, is with style and grace. Never burn bridges. You may have to cross them again!

Are you fascinated by trials? Do you like helping people? A career as a Paralegal is challenging, rewarding, and NEVER boring. Sign up for free newsletters that show you how to step into this exciting career. Adventures await you....

http://www.paralegalsecretary.bravehost.com

Laura McDonald is a paralegal, employed by Michael L. Hawkins & Associates, P.L.L.C. She is a member of NFPA (National Federation of Paralegal Associations). Laura is experienced in the areas of personal injury, civil litigation, family, environmental and corporate law, estate planning and bankruptcy.

How An Online Paralegal Class Works

The information covered in the online paralegal programs are much the same as their traditional campus counterparts. In this article I will discuss how paralegal online courses work in detail.

Once enrolled in the class, the student is able to enter the online classroom anytime they want. Here you complete assignments, quizzes, and puzzles related to paralegal work. These assignments will have due dates, and it is the responsibility of the student to meet the deadlines.

The progress of students will be measured using student assessment and other charts, which allow students to see their progression throughout the course. Classes may often be held during the spring and fall seasons, and intensive courses are usually offered during the summer.

Each course may take up to eighteen weeks to complete, and upon completion the student will be awarded with three credits towards their degree. The summer courses are much shorter, only lasting about 6 weeks instead of 18.

When taking online courses, students pay per class instead of all at once in a large lump sum. This is excellent for people who work full time but don't have a lot of money. They can save up money from their job, and pay for their classes individually.

The cost of online paralegal classes is very attractive to many students. Some online colleges charge as littles as $78 per class, much lower than what you would pay attending a traditional institution.

Some paralegal online classes use distance education software. This is basically open source software that numerous colleges have chosen to use, and it lowers the costs in taking the classes. This software creates an interface, which is easy for students to navigate. They also have discussion forums and email, which is easy for students to use.

The students can get feedback from the instructor for each project they complete, and their grades can electronically be sent to them. Group areas of the course can be built where a number of students get together and work on various projects.

A lot of multimedia is used in online paralegal courses. Students may be able to log in and watch uploaded videos of their instructors giving lectures and explaining assignments. Students often have the option of taking fully online courses or taking some classes online while physically attending the college to take other courses.

Paralegal students may also purchase ebooks for their classes and download them onto their computers. Because the books are electronic, their costs are much lower. A student can expect to spend between 2 or 300 dollars for books required for 12 classes. This is very cheap compared to traditional hardback college books, which individually may cost over 100 dollars.

Online classes have excellent advantages over their traditional campus counterparts, and as the Internet continues to advance, online paralegal courses will become much more interactive.

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Paralegal and Paralegal Certificate

Paralegal or legal assistant is a distinguishable person who assists attorneys in the delivery of legal services. Through formal education, training and experience, legal assistant has knowledge and expertise regarding the legal system and substantive and procedural law which qualify them to do work of a legal nature under the supervision of an attorney.

In the United States, there are more than 120,000 paralegals that have received paralegal certificates that do tasks and become vital members of the legal community. Paralegal are either hired by lawyers, law firms, corporations, governmental agency, or other groups of the same manner.

Paralegals, as a legal assistant have limited task. They could mot represent a client in court not give legal advice. They cannot set fee or accept a case. In short paralegals cannot assume the duties that are set for legal officers only.

However, paralegals can perform tasks under the supervision of the attorney. These can be, but not limited to, conducting client interview without bridging the gap between paralegal and attorney. Paralegals can also conduct survey, investigations, and research whether statistical or documentary. Paralegals can also summarize depositions, interrogatories and testimony. They can also attend hearings and trial with the attorney. And with legal assistance, paralegals can author and sign correspondence but does not include legal opinions.

But becoming must have a formal education about the profession. The Associate Degree Programs, Bachelor Degree Programs, and Masters Degree Program are some of this. There is also what we can the Certificate Program that is offered to various educational institutions that can be between 16-60 semester units.

Some educational institutions accept student and afterward award paralegal certificates to those who finished at least three semesters in college or 36 units credits. There are also eight courses in legal studies to finish before a paralegal certificate can be given. These are Business Law, Family Law, Introduction to Civil Procedures, Introduction to Criminal Law, Bankruptcy, Real Estate Law, Legal Research and Writing, and Legal Ethics.

Upon completion of the course, but before the awarding of paralegal certificate, the individual is not yet to be called paralegal, because the paralegal certificate can be obtained by standards set by the American Bar Association. The standard requires completion of the Certified Legal Assistant certifying (CLA) examination of the National Association of Legal Assistants. The school that award paralegal certificate should have American Bar Association approved program of study for legal assistants. The candidate should first graduate from a course of study for legal assistants which is institutionally accredited but not ABA approved, and which requires not less than the equivalent of 60 semester hours of classroom study.

In addition, a paralegal certificate can be obtained he the candidate graduated from a course of study for legal assistants, other than those set forth in (2) and (3) above, plus not less than six months of in-house training as a legal assistant. He or she should also have an attained baccalaureate degree in any field with an "in-house training as a legal assistant" not lower than six months. Achieving all these, paralegal certificate is ready to be given.

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