Paralegal Internships

Lots of companies looking for paralegals or legal assistants prefer those who have previous work experience. Participation in the paralegal internship programs is a good means to acquire that experience. Today, the internships are an integral part of all paralegal certificate programs. The internships are designed to improve the student?s total learning experience through a planned period of inspection, study and involvement in a law firm.

Paralegals are very important to law offices, corporate legal departments, government agency courthouses and other law-related settings. These people hold case analysis, research, and client interviews. Besides, they write lawful documents and prepare wills, bankruptcy records and real estate papers. By handling limitless routine tasks and research, paralegals can save lawyers? time and clients? money.

Paralegal students have numerous opportunities to achieve real world experiences within the legal society by finishing an internship. They get valuable insights into different areas of practice to improve their legal knowledge and career choices. In general, all paralegal students have to complete an internship. However, the majority opt to complete two internships.

American bar association guidelines require all paralegal students to attend and complete an internship program even if they are already working in a law firm. All internship programs are a practical how-to guide for paralegal students to perform in law-related offices. The major stages of an internship experience includes identifying erudition goals, finding the right office, self-monitoring and documentation, and handling office politics.

A potential paralegal student will merit from the chance to observe and work with practitioners in the field. Paralegal internships help the students apply the concepts and principles attained in the classroom, mingle with professionals in the legal community, and analyze on-the-job experiences with regard to academic learning.

In the United States, many organizations and education institutions offer paralegal internships with practical and working experience in a legal setting. Most internship programs are unpaid. Many institutes reimburse interns for mileage and related costs incurred in the performance of the intern?s responsibilities. If pay is available, it normally starts from a minimum salary to $12 per hour.

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Paralegal Career - 5 Tips To Determine If It's Right For You

If watching TV shows like Law and Order or old Ally McBeal re-runs has you thinking you would love a career as a legal assistant, you may want to look into the real world of one before entering the paralegal job market.

Working as a paralegal can be interesting and very rewarding work, but no one should enter the field with delusions of becoming an Erin Brockovitch. Listed below are some of the qualities a good paralegal should have.

1. You must love research. Not only must you love it, you should be the kind of thinker who can find innovative ways to find facts as you research cases. Maybe your research will require surfing the Internet for days on end, or you may find yourself neck deep in old files at the county courthouse. You may even find yourself searching through old newspaper articles. If you do not like research, find a different career choice.

2. You must be organized. As a paralegal, you are not only organizing cases and files for yourself; you are also organizing them for use by attorneys and other case workers. Having your own system of filing will not work for a successful paralegal. Your organization must be logical and easy for others to follow. Remember, all the research you do could either make or break the client's case.

3. You must work well with limited supervision. If you require a boss standing over your shoulder reminding you that your work is due soon, don't consider a career as a paralegal. For one, the attorney or business person you work for will not have time to be your deadline reminder. And, don't expect that just because your boss says you have two weeks to complete a case file that he or she won't say they absolutely need it two days later.

4. You must work well under pressure. As you gather research about a case, little facts could pop up that change the entire course of your research. If you get frustrated easily, being a paralegal might not be the career choice you should make. An adaptable person succeeds as a legal assistant.

5. You must have good people skills. Just because your job might mean doing a lot of research doesn't mean you won't have vital contact with clients. As a paralegal, you may take statements from clients and help direct their questions and concerns to the attorney. You are their liaison with the lawyer. It's important that you like to help people and can work with a diverse group of people if you work as a legal assistant.

If you have the above qualities, you would probably make a great paralegal. If you have those five qualities, plus having training or certification as a legal assistant, the world will be your oyster. The training will set you apart from all the other people who also have the same qualities. Twenty and 30 years ago, no one had formal training as a legal assistant. All those paralegals are preparing for retirement now and their employers will plan to replace them with a trained professional instead of offering on the job training again.
Scott Knutson is an entrepreneur and writer. For more of his articles visit: Paralegal | Online Paralegal Degree | Online Paralegal

Online Paralegal Degree - Never Leave Your Home

Do you feel that the judicial branch of our government has been turned into a mockery of the system engaging in activities antithetical to their original intent by activist judges and apathetic legislators who stand by idly while one of the three pillars of the nation's government slowly cripples the society that it was created to serve? Then perhaps an online paralegal degree is for you.

A career as a paralegal is an integral one in the legal process of our country. You will be assisting courts and law firms prepare for cases by researching, drafting legal documents, doing appraisals, working with court procedures, and other essential functions. All of these skills can be taught to you through an online paralegal degree course. When you finish you will be ready to start your new career, that will offer you both a daily challenge and satisfaction that you are contributing greatly to an important sector of society.

Another reason why getting started on an online paralegal degree at this point is because of the ability to really focus in on an area that interests you the most. The reason for this is due to the fact that the legal field has become very specialized. Many lawyers, and even courts, have begun to work strictly on cases in their specific field. This way if you have an interest in domestic, criminal, corporate, environmental or many other areas of law, you can work exclusively in this area. And online paralegal degrees allow you to specialize in your field of interest, so you'll be ready to obtain a job that works directly with your interests.

The online paralegal degree programs are waiting for you, as is the desperately ignored judicial system. Get out there and make a difference in your life and in society.

Locating the Best Online Paralegal Degree

 

There are many aspects to keep in mind when deciding on the best online paralegal degree for you. What are your main goals to earning your degree; are you looking for a program that fits into your busy schedule or is affordability your main concern? What type of degree are you looking for? Are you flexible with relocation or do you plan on searching for employment in a specific area? What will your future employers be looking for from your education with an Online Paralegal Degree?

While lawyers assume ultimate responsibility for legal work they often delegate many of their tasks to Paralegals. Since Paralegals continue to assume a growing range of responsibilities and perform many of the same tasks as a lawyer the demand for qualified Paralegals is continuously increasing. With the increased demand for paralegals you will need to ask yourself what your goals are when it comes to earning an online paralegal degree, and keep those goals in mind to help guide your decisions.

Many online paralegal degrees offer incredible convenience and flexibility. You can complete your assignments essentially anywhere there is a computer with Internet access. Some programs may require you to perform cooperative assignments that will require you to schedule some time away from your computer. So if a busy schedule does not afford you the luxury of attending a session in court during business hours, you may want to consider a program that offers alternatives.

The affordability of a paralegal degree may be your top concern when investing your options. Online degree programs typically cost less per course than traditional campus-based learning, and have been known to be on average up to $100 to $150 less per credit hour. You can earn a paralegal degree through online learning that will save you money, and at the same time is able to facilitate a substantial growth in your income.

There are two types of online paralegal degrees you can earn: an Associate’s Degree and a Bachelor’s Degree. The type of associate or bachelor degree you receive will depend upon the online school you have chosen to earn you degree from. One of the most practical ways to determine what degree that will be required is to contact the employers in your area and inquire what their paralegal degree requirements are.

Career Opportunities for Online Paralegal Degree Graduates

With an online paralegal degree you have the opportunity to search for employment in a variety of industries including:

• Private law firms
• Title companies
• Local, state, and federal government agencies
• Corporate law departments
• Law enforcement agencies
• Banks
• Prosecutors
• Private and Corporate Business
• Community Agencies

When registering for an online paralegal degree program you must ensure that the school you have chosen has Specialized Accreditation status. In order to assure future employers that your degree can comply with the most current guidelines for professional conduct they will require that the online school where you earned your paralegal degree has been accredited by the American Bar Association (http://www.abanet.org/index.cfm). So make sure you do your research and investigate multiple programs and schools.

 

To obtain a list of programs and schools to research, go to http://www.OnlineDegreeReviews.org and click on Paralegal, under the Law and Criminal Justice section of the homepage. You also have the ability to research Online Paralegal Degrees by reading reviews and talking to former students in the online forums.

Steve Rawlinson is the founder of Online Degree Reviews, a website where students review online degrees.