Legal assistants and paralegals are non-attornies who work under the supervision of a lawyer in the delivery of legal services to clients. There are many paralegal courses and programs that will train you on the paralegal profession. For example, the Paralegal Institute website www.theparalegalinstitute.com , founded in 1974, is one of the oldest and most respected accredited paralegal schools that provides paralegal training.
Here is some advice on how to become a paralegal and choosing the best paralegal school for you:
- Understand the Job. Paralegals have many duties, including drafting motions and subpoenas, document review, and filing papers with courts. Paralegals have traditionally dealt more with procedural law than with substantive law. You may work long hours paralegalling, and sometimes it is "grunt" work, but you get great exposure to the legal world and great experience for future jobs.
- Certification. In the US, a paralegal is not a licensed professional, so certification is not necessary. However, certification is highly recommended because it helps increase your paralegal skillset, as well as increase your hiring and promotion potential. Just taking paralegal courses and completing a paralegal program does not automatically certify you. You must take and pass one of several privately-administered paralegal tests from one of several paralegal associations.
- ABA Approval. Some paralegal programs are approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) , website www.abanet.org . Others are not. It is recommended to take paralegal courses from ABA approved programs with solid reputations.
- Cost. Inquire as to the cost of the paralegal program, which will most likely run into the thousands of dollars. Make sure you can afford it, and that it will be worth the investment. See what types of financial aid are available to you.
- Job Placement. Inquire as to the placement of the graduates of the paralegal programs you are considering. How effective and aggressive are the paralegal schools at helping their graduates find jobs?
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