Paralegals do a lot of research.
Becoming a paralegal can lead to a high paying career. It does not require as much training as a lawyer but you do get to perform a lot of the same duties under the supervision of a lawyer. The primary difference between a lawyer and a paralegal is that a lawyer can set fees, give legal advice and try cases. But as far as drawing up contracts, legal research and argument preparation these are primarily the jobs delegated to paralegals. Being a paralegal is challenging and financially rewarding. The work can be as diverse as a small office or a large corporation.
Instructions
1. Find a reputable school. Paralegal studies are all over the place. Some are reputable some are not. The most important certification for paralegals is the American Bar Association. You can find a list of the approved schools at the ABA web site.
The three primary was to be trained as a paralegal are: two-year program at a community college, four-year bachelor's program at a major university, certificate program meant for graduate students. Options one and three are easier with today's economy.
Paralegal Certificate programs are offered by such major universities as UCLA, USC, University of Michigan and NYU. They are usually offeredthrough an extension program.
2. Apply for your choice of paralegal studies. Most reputable paralegal programs have some sort of admissions standards. If you have a bachelor's or master's degree you are almost assured of admission provided the applications aren't coming in at overwhelming numbers.
If you have a high school diploma or an associates degree, the program may have you take a qualification exam followed by a face-to-face interview. The point of the interview is to assess your motivation and follow through. The interviewer does not want to waste a spot in the program nor does he want to take your money if you don't seem to fit.
Application fees vary buyt junior colleges tend to have little or no fees at all.
3. Attend the program with a passionate focus. Whether your paralegal program is six months or two years, you must pay attention at all times and work tirelessly at studying. Everyday invaluable information such as tax laws, divorce papers, wills, briefings will be flying at you. The more you absorb, the better you will be able to effectively manage the duties of a paralegal.
The focuses differ depending on what type of paralegal training you are in. The certificate programs tend to be about one field, such as corporate, CPA and real estate. The two- and four-year programs cover a more broad set of fields.
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