| Paralegal careers are constantly in demand, and even | | | | Paralegals are responsible for assisting the attorney |
| more so when the economy is down and attorney | | | | with legal research and trial preparation. This could |
| fees need to be cut. If you enjoy law and doing | | | | include drawing up and filing court documents and |
| research while diving deep into the details, and are | | | | pleadings; collecting testimonies; medical records and |
| capable of performing mundane administrative duties | | | | investigatory material; calling businesses, clients and |
| as well, a paralegal career might be the profitable | | | | courts; researching applicable laws and statutes; |
| career for you. | | | | reviewing depositions and testimonies and comparing |
| A paralegal career is a professional career that can | | | | them to the details of the case; creating and |
| be started with less than a bachelor’s degree, yet | | | | proofreading correspondence and documents with |
| provide the returns of a bachelor’s degree salary | | | | assistance from a legal secretary; filling out numerous |
| with some on-the-job experience. There are a few | | | | forms; and possibly accompanying an attorney on a |
| schools that offer a bachelor’s degree in paralegal | | | | trial. Entry level paralegals are often expected to do |
| studies, but more often you will see an associate | | | | paralegal work and administrative secretarial work. |
| degree for paralegal studies or a certificate for | | | | This would include creating, typing and mailing |
| paralegal studies. Although licensing is not required, | | | | correspondence and filing legal documents rather than |
| getting a paralegal license through the American | | | | handing them to the legal secretary to type, mail and |
| Paralegal Association can improve your employability, | | | | file, and may include a larger burden of phone calls to |
| and position you to be more eligible to work in lucrative | | | | courts and for medical records. |
| firms. | | | | Paralegals are legal professionals. Advancement is |
| Paralegal studies will include courses in legal | | | | either in office hierarchy in larger firms, or in pay |
| communication, legal document preparation, court | | | | through your firm or other firms. Paralegals can work in |
| proceedings, legal research, personal injury, medical | | | | law firms, corporations, federal and non-profit agencies. |
| terminology, and likely a course in legal branches, such | | | | There are also paralegals that work for advocacy |
| as corporate law, estate law, family law, criminal law, | | | | groups, politicians, or freelance from their home. The |
| tax law, torts and others. There will also be standard | | | | opportunity to go to law school is always there, and will |
| English, grammar and writing courses. A certificate | | | | be more affordable after you start your paralegal |
| course will be very skill focused, and provide a faster | | | | career. |
| route to employment; however, a paralegal with an | | | | Paralegal careers are for those who love law and |
| associate degree, or even a bachelor degree, is more | | | | research, and can competently handle administrative |
| likely to find a higher-paying job in a corporate firm. | | | | duties. Timeliness is essential in the legal world, and so |
| Administrative, clerical or secretarial experience is also | | | | is professionalism. If you’re intrigued with the law |
| valuable on a paralegal resume, since most paralegal | | | | and have administrative capability, research a paralegal |
| positions also require a great deal of administrative | | | | career – and you’ll quickly see that you can |
| responsibility. | | | | profit from your career as a paralegal. |