To be or not to be a paralegal, that is the question. If that’s the question you’ve been asking yourself then continue reading and your decision will become clear.
The National Federation of Paralegal Associations estimates that over 80 percent of current paralegals have gone through some type of formal paralegal education.
In today’s paralegal market, the NFPA recommends as a bare minimum that wanna-be paralegals have a two-year degree with an emphasis in paralegal studies. However, a bachelor's degree is recommended.
As a paralegal, your responsibilities will vary widely based upon what type of business or organization you end up working for.
If you would like to learn more of the details behind this exciting career opportunity
then check out our home page where
you'll find a complete Paralegal Career Overview
section but if you're ready to apply at one of the top schools in the country then take a look
at best paralegal school resources in the country at the top of this page.
Paralegal Course
In the land of liberty, paralegals owe a great debt of gratitude to a couple of organizations. Of course, there are other professional organizations that have contributed to the evolution of the paralegal as a prominent career in the field of law, but the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) and the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) have stood out. Boasting tens of thousands of members between them, these competing organizations' have helped sculpt and influence the language of the paralegal (also called legal assistant by NALA) field for decades.
Critical aspects to remember when looking into the quality of a paralegal program:
Paralegal school curriculum should focus on teaching practical job skills alongside a solid legal theory foundation. Concentration courses should revolve around topics like litigation and legal writing, legal ethics, contract and business organization.
In addition to developing a usable knowledge of the law, a high quality paralegal training program will emphasize creative and critical thinking, organizational and computational skills.
The overall development of the student should also be a critical objective along with some type of real world experience like an internship before graduation.
Who are the individuals making up the faculty and the administration of the paralegal school you are looking to attend? Does the curriculum program director have a law degree or minimally have they had solid field experience along with an advanced degree in some aspect of paralegal education? Are the instructors considered to be "experts" in their sphere of influence as a result of their field experience and educational background?
The latest fad in learning is to learn online through the internet but is this right learning environment for you or should you stick with the traditional brick and mortar classroom? The aforementioned is just one of the many questions you need to answer before pursuing your paralegal degree online. Another vital question that needs answered is how will you receive your training? Will it be web-based or through interactive video or whatever is the latest and greatest technological advance. Regardless of the delivery method it comes down to this; "Is online learning right for you?" If yes; jump right in because the benefits in convenience and cost are many but if not, then don't do it. Simply go out and find the best brick and mortar paralegal school near you.
Unquestionably, exploring a paralegal career isn't for every Tom, Dick or Harry or Sally or Susie for that matter but for those individuals that yearn to dip their toe into the field of law, and still enjoy the status and professional satisfaction of a law career without having to attend law school for 4 years, then becoming a paralegal is your ticket.
