If you’re interested in working in the legal field, but don’t think you have what it takes to be a lawyer, getting a paralegal degree might be right for you. A paralegal, or legal assistant, is a legal assistant designated for the work of a lawyer or law firm. This can be a difficult but rewarding weekend for anyone willing to put time and effort into it. Paralegals work in many types of settings, including small town law offices, large legal firms, and state and federal agencies. The paralegal field is widely accepted by the ABA and paralegals are becoming more necessary than ever in government, with save time and provide more affordable customer service.
Degree programs are available at all levels online and in traditional colleges. Lawyers and law firms need paralegals with work experience and/or a college degree. If you’re starting at the bottom and don’t have a foot in the door with paralegal work experience, it’s a good idea to think about getting a paralegal degree. Paralegal programs offered include paralegal certificates, associate’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and master’s degrees. Many paralegals start with a certificate or associate’s degree to get their foot in the door. Once they had experience, they would choose to further their education to better opportunities in paralegal work field.
Depending on the work setting, the paralegal’s level of education and experience, they have a good salary and good benefits. Generally, a paralegal working in a large law firm or federal agency receives a higher salary than a paralegal working in a small one. law firm or government agency. Most paralegals make anywhere from $30,000 to $66,000 per year. State law institutions tend to pay the least while federal institutions tend to pay the most. With years of work experience, a paralegal could be promoted to senior paralegal manager, making over $100,000 per year for lower level paralegal supervisors.
Paralegals perform a wide range of jobs. Paralegals working for a large law firm or government agency tend to impose more responsibility and duty than paralegals working for At a small law firm, most paralegals are assigned the same types of duties and responsibilities. Paralegals in many law firms have secretarial positions, answering telephones, organizing and updating client files, hosting client interviews, and responding to court and opposing parties. At the higher level, many paralegals are expected to pass legal searching and writing. By this, I mean that paralegals are expected to accurately perform legal research and write legal documents and forms at the request of the lawyer. . All paralegal programs are designed to meet these expectations.
The paralegal work field is growing rapidly and is maintained by the American Bar Association. Paralegals are not only hello on the part of lawyers, but they also make legal advice much more affordable for clients. By performing the services of the clients in the case, the client was charged about half the cost than if the lawyer had performed the same work. This makes paralegals indispensable and client friendly. The paralegal field has one of the biggest developments expected in 2012. If you think working in the legal field is appealing, being a paralegal is right for you.
