Paralegal Training
Most paralegal training takes place while working. Some legal assistants will have studied a legal course at their local college or perhaps taken a paralegal training program online but the majority of your learning and professional development will take place while you are working.
Paralegal certification is not yet mandatory in all states so not all practicing attorneys require their paralegal assistants to be qualified. However if you are looking for your dream job, or there are a lot of people applying for paralegal positions in your area, you will find that having passed your paralegal certification exams will put your resume at the top of the pile.
If you are working in the state of California you cannot call yourself a paralegal unless you have a certain level of job experience or formal education in this area. The actual specific requirements will depend on the attorney who employs you.
Although formal training is not yet a mandatory requirement for most paralegal positions, attorneys like applicants who have completed at least a basic course in the legal field. They believe that these applicants will require less training and take up less of their time. Time is probably the most prized possession at a law firm and anything you can do to show that you will earn your salary quicker will be rewarded. Also, you are more likely to secure a higher paid position if you can illustrated that you have studied for and passed at least part of the certification process.
What type of paralegal training programs do you need?
If you already have some legal work experience, perhaps because you have been working as a legal secretary or you already have an associate degree in any field, a paralegal certificate program should be sufficient to secure a basic legal assistant position. A certificate program usually takes between 6 to 9 months to complete although some will last for two years. During your studies you will learn how to conduct legal research, prepare legal documents as well as learning about legal ethics and terminology. It is possible to study for your paralegal certificate online or if you prefer at your local college.
If you wish to secure a highly paid paralegal position at a large law firm you will probably find that you need at least a degree level qualification. In this instance a two-year associate degree may be the best form of training you can take. In order to make your paralegal resume stand out from the other applications, you should look for a summer job in a legal firm or consider working as an unpaid clerk in order to gain some relevant work experience.
Some people want to combine the paralegal training with a full four year degree program. If you wish to complete a bachelors degree, you can find programs that include the 30 hours of legal studies required to pass your paralegal certification. You should note however that a degree is not necessary and you could use the time you will spend studying at college to secure a paid paralegal position instead. The earlier you start working in the legal field the more relevant experience you will gain.
Don’t dismiss the option of undertaking your paralegal training while working in a law firm. While you may have to start as a low-paid assistant or secretary, you will gain valuable work experience. You will also gain an inside knowledge of how a law firm operates and this can be helpful in determining which area of the law you wish to specialize in. There are many paralegal’s who originally thought they would work on the criminal justice side, but having worked in a law firm decided that corporate litigation was the area they wish to specialize in.
Consider paralegal training online if time is an issue.
There are many paralegal training programs available. Some, like all colleges, offer better training than others. When it comes to choosing the right training program, you should consider whether you would like access to your studies via an online training program or whether you study better with other people. Some people find the paralegal training online difficult as they find it difficult to motivate themselves to do the work in the required time frames. They prefer to study with other students following a similar course. If you are currently working and time is precious you may find that paralegal training course online offers you more flexibility and the ability to complete your studies quicker.
It is always worthwhile speaking to the law firms operating in the area where you want to work to find out what type of qualifications and experience they look for when offering new paralegal positions. You may find that they favor a particular college or course.
Speak to other paralegals who have completed paralegal training courses
It is also a good idea to speak to other students who have completed the paralegal training courses you are interested in to find out their views on the quality of the material and the lectures. All paralegal training programs should be able to provide you with statistics on how many students sat and passed the relevant exams. Don’t forget that completing your paralegal training doesn’t finish with your paralegal certification exams. Your career choice means that continual professional education is a necessity if you want to progress in this career field. The Law is constantly being updated and you have to keep pace with these updates or you will not have a successful career.