Do You Need a Paralegal Degree?

With respect to a paralegal degree and with the exception of California, there are currently no rules regarding what qualifications a paralegal must have. Theoretically it is possible to be employed as a paralegal without any qualifications although in reality the competition for jobs can be quite fierce. If a number of applicants apply for one position, someone who holds a paralegal resume containing a mixture of relevant experience and formal legal education is more likely to be offered the position than someone who has no experience and no legal qualification.

Do you need an associate degree in paralegal studies?

The answer to this question depends on the type of job you apply for. A lot of attorneys like their paralegal assistant to have a formal education equivalent to associate degree level. Attorneys are under pressure to bill a certain number of hours every day.  As their time is very precious they don’t want to have to spend hours training a new assistant. They tend to believe that if you already have a paralegal associate degree you will need less training and will be able to help them perform their tasks more quickly.  You will be able to help them generate more billing time and that will help to offset the expense of your remuneration package.

Perhaps more importantly is the fact that completing an associate degree in paralegal studies will give you more confidence to apply for positions where competition is tough.  You should be able to achieve a higher salary than if you have no qualifications at all.  Always make sure that the course you study has been approved by the American Bar Association. Currently there are over 1000 paralegal education courses available but of these only 200 to 300 have been approved by the ABA. Although ABA approval is not mandatory, you may find that your potential employer prefers those applicants who have attended an ABA approved school.

Do you need to study for a paralegal bachelor degree?

There are a few paralegal bachelor degree programs available but you should seriously consider whether it is worth your time and financial investment to spend this time in college. In a similar timeframe you could achieve a more basic degree and gain relevant experience. It is a fact that a combination of experience and education will usually mean better job prospects than education or experience alone. If you already have a degree in another subject area you’ll probably find that you can take a fast-track paralegal certificate program to gain the basic legal foundation required to start your career.

There are a variety of online paralegal programs available, some of which have ABA approval, so regardless of you schedule you should be able to find one that suits your circumstances. If you don’t like the idea of studying online and cannot commit to a day course, you can find courses available at nights and weekends at your local colleges.

When would an associate degree in paralegal studies be particularly useful?

If you wish to work for a major law firm that attracts hundreds of job applicants every year, you may wish to achieve an associate degree in paralegal studies in order to make your application for a position in this firm stand out. There are many community colleges and private institutions that offer two-year associate level degrees.

If you wish to achieve in a degree as well as qualifying as a paralegal, a four year paralegal bachelor degree may be the right choice for you. This would be a suitable option for those who are not sure that they wish to remain working in the legal arena for the rest of their career. If you have plenty of cash to fund a college education this is an easy call to make. But if funds are tight, it is worth weighing up the benefits of having a four year degree compared to the debts you are going to leave college with.  In reality you can become a very successful highly paid legal assistant without a paralegal degree.

If you wish to work on state of California the situation is slightly different. This is currently the only state that has a rule stating that paralegals must have certain level of education or relevant job experience in order to call themselves paralegals. The attorney who employs you as a legal assistant will determine whether you have the correct level of education and or experience required.  Not every attorney will agree on what is considered the correct level so if you want to work in California it is worth speaking to the law firms of interest to you to see what their particular requirements are.