What Does a Paralegal Do?

Paralegals are assistants specially trained to handle the day-to-day needs of the lawyers they work for. Whether you are the sole assistant to a top lawyer or part of a team of paralegals in a legal department, your job will include the following tasks:

Draft and file documents, Interview clients, Research cases and precedents, Non-legal research

As a paralegals, you will be able to find work anywhere including private law forms, the district attorney's office, government agencies, major corporations, banks, hospitals, or insurance companies.

What training do I need to become a paralegal? Community colleges, online institutions, and vocational schools all offer certificates, associate's degrees and bachelor's degrees. No matter which program you choose, you will be trained specifically for the position of paralegal.

Your training as a paralegal will give you the tools to make a lawyers job go more smoothly without the ultimate responsibility of the cases. The list of tasks delegated to paralegals grows daily but their scope of practice is very specifically defined especially regarding presenting cases in court, offering legal advice, and setting legal fees.

What will I earn as a paralegal? Education and experience greatly impact your earning potential as a paralegal. Where you live and who employs you also affects your rate of income.

Large firms and companies in large cities generally pay more than their smaller, more rural counterparts. Many paralegals, however, are often given bonuses in addition to a salary that could land anywhere between $28,000 and $50,000+. Legal secretaries make a bit more with salaries that range from $32,000 to $53,000+. Senior paralegals command salaries of $35,000 to $60,000+.

Do I need to be licensed or certified to be a paralegal? No. There are some national exams for paralegals but none are required. It is recommended that you enroll in an American Bar Association approved program.

What is the future of the field? The position of paralegal is expected to grow faster than most professions in the next decade, by more than 30 percent.

Melissa Steele is a featured writer for EducationGuys.com. She has been writing about college degrees & trade schools since 2004. To learn about legal degrees and law schools online, please visit us today.

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.

Mansi gupta recommends that you visit online paralegal course for more information

The Role of the Paralegal or Legal Assistant in the Criminal Justice Field

Paralegal or Legal Assistant is an exciting profession in the Criminal Justice field. It is hard to imagine a law office without a paralegal. They can be described as the right hand of the lawyer. In this article I examine the role of the paralegal or legal assistant in the criminal justice field.

The legal assistant as the name suggests is there to assist the lawyer. It is vitally important to know that the paralegal cannot give legal advice or act as a lawyer. What the paralegal does must be under the supervision of a lawyer. The paralegal can do the following under the watchful eye of a lawyer:

1. The paralegal can conduct client interviews. They must identify themselves as paralegals to the client before starting the interview. In this instance, the legal assistant helps the lawyer ascertain the facts of a case by talking to the client. This saves the lawyer valuable time. The lawyer can use that time to work on strategies for the case.

2. The legal assistant can locate and interview witnesses. If you watched the movie Erin Brockovich, you saw Julia Roberts play the role of a paralegal that locates and interviews clients. In one of the scenes, she clearly states that she is not a lawyer. This underlines the point above that paralegals cannot give legal advice. It also underlines the point that they identify themselves as such.

3. Legal assistants can research and prepare legal documents. Paralegals do acquire the training and experience necessary to prepare legal documents. All the lawyer has to do is double check the work to make sure it meets the legal requirements that such document requires. Again, I don’t have to tell what a valuable timesaver this is to a lawyer.

4. The paralegal can attend court trials. In this case, they help the lawyer with the case files. This way the lawyer is not fumbling in court looking for files or evidence. The paralegal is there to keep him or her organized.

I can write more volume on the role of the legal assistant or paralegal in the criminal justice field, but you get the point. It is indeed an exciting profession. Think of all the intriguing things that can be involved in a legal case. As a paralegal, you can be in the middle of it all.Criminal Justice Schools and Degrees. Get free scholarship report and learn to become a Paralegal by visiting.
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Online Paralegal Degree Preparing You For Employment

In an era when professional opportunities are diminishing, one area where opportunities are certainly expanding is in the field of paralegal work. Consequently, as the practice of law expands, and the need for professional paralegals grows, many argue that there has never been a better time to enter the field of paralegal work. To cater for this growing need for paralegals, a number of nationally accredited online paralegal degree programs have been developed.

Most nationally accredited online paralegal degree programs begin with a Foundation Course, setting out the legal concepts and practical legal techniques that you'll be expected to know and comprehend when the times comes for you to start looking for paralegal work. You'll also be taught how to undertake legal research, conduct interviews of clients and witnesses, and draft documents. But, an online paralegal degree is much more than this. Specially developed Advance Course follow the Foundation Course on which you'll have the chance to hone your online study skills by electing to specialize in key specialty subjects; such as, litigation, real estate, estate and wills, trusts, and corporate law.

With all the added benefits found on all online degree programs, such as (a) convenience to take the course at your own pace; (b) flexibility to complete work within your own time; (c) benefit of not having to live on-campus or commute to the campus; (d) and pay fees as and when you decide to study that module, completing an online paralegal degree course allows you the chance to find new employment opportunities either in the private sector or government sector as most legal employer will know that you are getting all the training needed to ready you for the daily tasks faced in the legal profession!

Today's online paralegal degree programs also offer students the option to study a Bachelor of Science in Management/Applied Management with a Law Office Management Emphasis, preparing you for an entry-level legal management position, or an Associate of Applied Science in Paralegal Studies program for those looking to undertake employment in a legal environment.

No matter which online paralegal degree program you elect to take however, the fun, joy and benefits of an online paralegal degree program are available for all to enjoy!

Amba is the owner of http://www.on-line--education.com a website that contains all the latest resources and information relating to on-line degrees. Visit http://www.on-line--education.com

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