Doing the Lawyer’s Legwork with Paralegal Degrees
Paralegals and legal assistants work directly under lawyers as administrative personnel, organizing and evaluating facts and legal concepts for individual cases. Although paralegals cannot give legal advice or appear in court, they are instrumental to the legal profession, as lawyers take full responsibility for a paralegal's work. An online degree program in paralegal studies can start a new career in the exciting world of law.
Paralegal & Legal Degree FAQs
What Are the Educational Requirements for a Career in Paralegal and Legal Services?
Paralegals research cases extensively, writing and preparing papers and exhibitions for cases and managing them. As a result, an intimate understanding of the law is required. All paralegals must have at least an associate's degree or paralegal certification, if not a bachelor's degree.
Most paralegals are hired based on an associate's degree in paralegal studies from a community college. Technical schools also offer paralegal studies, along with online colleges.
Who Is an Ideal Candidate for Online Paralegal and Legal Services Classes?
Working as a legal assistant or paralegal is best for individuals who have a genuine interest and strong background in law. You should also have excellent organizational and communication skills, as well as researching, reading, writing and analyzing skills.
What Are Some Career Choices in Paralegal and Legal Services?
Since being a paralegal is a vocational position, these studies will lead to a job as a legal assistant. Some paralegals decide later to go back to school and become lawyers by applying to law school. However, many remain as paralegals, often working with the same lawyer and building a relationship with that person for years.
Paralegals get to choose which field of law they would like to work in, such as corporate, intellectual property, international, criminal, tax, real estate or labor. Large firms allow paralegals to choose a specialization, such as copyright issues in entertainment law.
Why Would Someone Take Online Classes?
The everyday stresses of a job, family life and other responsibilities often prevent people from enrolling in school. With online degree programs, you can become a paralegal in a short amount of time without having to change your schedule.
An online degree program provides more flexibility than traditional universities do, which makes it very appealing to students with obligations outside of school. You can apply for a two-year program or a certification program. Make sure the online school you choose is accredited and certified by the American Bar Association.
