A Look At Paralegal Training
by
Kent Pinkerton ARTICLE REPRINTING IS PERMITTED
A paralegal assists lawyers, corporations, or government agencies that must work with the law. Most of the time, paralegals help lawyers to keep afloat of the mounds of paperwork needed in law. They organize, index, photocopy, and run errands. They may also interview witnesses, draft legal documents, or conduct hearings. The tasks of the paralegal depends a large part on what type a paralegal he is, and the amount of training he has received.
The National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) recommends that all entry-level paralegals have a four-year bachelor's degree. Though only about 50 percent of the working paralegals in 2001 had a bachelor's degree, it is quickly becoming standard for hiring paralegals. The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the paralegal field is growing faster than most. Extra training can help guarantee a job in this rapidly growing field.
NFPA recommends a formal paralegal training program after a potential paralegal earns a bachelor's degree. The organization provides a directory of accredited programs, for a small fee, through its Web site, and recommends at least 24 semester hours dedicated to legal studies. Online programs also offer additional paralegal training, including emphasizing critical thinking skills, improving communication skills, understanding law procedures and rules, honing legal writing abilities, and practicing interpersonal skills for working with clients, witnesses, other professionals, or the public. The NFPA urges paralegals to critically evaluate all correspondence or online courses, making sure the program provides an adequate, professionally recognized education. Check, for example, that the program is approved by the American Bar Association.
Most colleges and universities offer paralegal certification program, and Kaplan Education Paralegal Programs has training courses in 11 states. Also, the American Institute for Paralegal Studies is one of the oldest paralegal training programs in the country.
Information About The Author
Paralegals Info provides detailed information about paralegal jobs, schools, training, courses, certificates, and services. Paralegals Info is the sister site of
Notary Public Web.
Published by
Meta Search Engine LOOK-4IT.COM.
You can reprint this article for FREE at your web site. Doing this you agree to keep all texts and hyperlinks unchanged. Please keep
reference to LOOK-4IT.COM meta search engine as well, if you decide to use this article as a
free content for your web site.
Back to article category:
Paralegal Education Additional Paralegal Education Articles
What Do Paralegals Do? Also known as legal assistants, paralegals may work for a lawyer, but they may also work for a corporation, the government, or any organization that deals with the law. A beginning paralegal will probably spend most of his or her time filing, photocopying, organizing papers and running errands.
A Look at Paralegal Jobs Paralegals support lawyers by organizing the massive amounts of paperwork law offices generate, running the office smoothly, helping to draft documents and interviewing witnesses.
Is Paralegal Education Necessary? The level of education needed to become a paralegal depends the kind of paralegal work desired and the length of a paralegal career. A recent college graduate who wants to be a paralegal to get into law school may not want to seek additional training. A person wishing to become a career paralegal would benefit from the additional training.
Choosing the Right Paralegal Courses Paralegals typically have a bachelor's degree to help them professionally assist lawyers or corporations and government agencies dealing with the law. Paralegals help lawyers navigate the large amounts of paperwork generated in legal proceedings by indexing, photocopying, and filing.
Do You Need A Paralegal Certificate? Paralegal certificate programs are offered by most colleges and universities, as well as online. Before enrolling in any program, make sure the program is approved by the American Bar Association. Paralegal certificate programs typically require a bachelor's degree, strong critical thinking and communication skills, a secure understanding of law ethics, a legal vocabulary, experience in a law office, and the ability to conduct legal interviews and research. Some programs also require a minimum college GPA.
