| It's great to have an important job but be able to leave | | | | training with courses in other academic subjects. |
| the ultimate responsibility to someone else. That's the | | | | There are about 1,000 legal assistant schools in the |
| perk of being a legal assistant -- you do so many of | | | | country, approximately 260 of which are approved by |
| the exciting things lawyers do, but without the final and | | | | the American Bar Association. Legal assistant schools |
| sometimes overwhelming authority in people's lives. | | | | will teach you legal terminology, legal applications of |
| Survey the Scene | | | | computers, performing legal research on the Internet, |
| If you're interested in researching legal assistant | | | | new developments in the law, ethical standards of the |
| schools, you'll learn how to be ready to help lawyers | | | | legal profession, and more. |
| prepare for closings, hearings, trials, and corporate | | | | The National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) |
| meetings. You'll investigate and analyze each case, | | | | offers a two-day exam for those who wish to earn |
| and prepare reports to help attorneys determine how | | | | the Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) designation. As of |
| to handle the cases. Aside from setting legal fees, | | | | February 2006, there were 13,325 CLAs in the United |
| giving legal advice, and presenting cases in court, you | | | | States. NALA also offers an updated Advanced |
| may be performing the tasks of a lawyer. | | | | Certified Paralegal designation for those who wish to |
| And, legal assistant schools won't limit you to one area | | | | specialize in other areas of the law. |
| of the law. A legal assistant can work in litigation, | | | | Check Out the View |
| personal injury, corporate law, criminal law, employee | | | | Legal assistants held about 224,000 jobs in 2004. And, |
| benefits, intellectual property, labor law, bankruptcy, | | | | the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects legal assistant |
| immigration, family law, or real estate. | | | | employment to grow much faster than average for all |
| Climb the Hill at Legal Assistant Schools | | | | occupations through 2014. In addition, those who |
| In order to become a legal assistant, you'll need to be | | | | specialize in areas such as real estate, bankruptcy, |
| trained at legal assistant schools. You can earn an | | | | medical malpractice, or product liability will have |
| associate degree or a certificate in paralegal studies; | | | | excellent opportunities in their legal assistant careers. |
| some legal assistant schools even offer bachelor's and | | | | In May 2004, full-time wage and salary legal assistants |
| master's degrees. Most certificate programs at legal | | | | had median annual earnings of $39,130, with the top 10 |
| assistant schools provide intensive and specialized | | | | percent earning more than $61,390. |
| training for those who already have a college degree. | | | | Want to go higher in your career? Let legal assistant |
| Degree programs generally combine legal assistant | | | | schools take you there. |