September 5, 2010
Become A Paralegel And Start A Rewarding Career
In order to save money, many people are now seeing a nurse practitioner instead of a doctor. The same is starting to happen in law. To save money, people are hiring paralegals to do the work of attorneys. Because of this, paralegals are one of the hottest professions in the U.S.
According to the Bureau, a paralegal is responsible for assisting lawyers prepare for trials and corporate meetings. They investigate the facts of a case and ensure that all relevant information is considered. They also help their attorneys research appropriate laws, and other materials relevant to their caseload, including preparing written reports, help instigate lawsuits on behalf of clients, obtain affidavits and file motions. Paralegals also organize and track files of all important case documents for attorneys. A wealth of information about college distance learning is available on the web.
Paralegals are also employed more than just law firms. They can be found in many businesses, whether the companies have in house counsel or not. Other major employers are local, state and federal governments. One thing lawyers and paralegals do share in common is most have to specialize in one particular area of law or another, such a criminal, tax or licensing.
What’s certainly distinguishes a paralegal from a lawyer is the level of education. Where a lawyer has to get his or her J.D. and pass the Bar, paralegals need only take a 2-year program. In fact, most paralegals start off as high schoolers with strong grades in the humanities, logic and communications courses. From there, they can choose from nearly 1,000 different programs to become a paralegal. Because of this, one should sit down with a counselor before settling on a school. Educating yourself all you can about law degrees may mean quicker success.
Of all the options these institutions of higher learning offer, the most common happens to be obtaining a 2-year Associate’s degree. From there, most paralegals find employment and might continue their education with an online university. This is also a major way for paralegals to stay on top of the latest changes in their specialty or the law in general.
Income for paralegals is highly dependent on who they work for. Those who work in a governmental position generally earn considerably less than those who work at a Wall Street law firm. According to the Bureau, those working for the federal government get paid best of all with an average salary of $58,000 annually. In general, the range otherwise goes from $44,500 to $56,000 a year.
As it stands, the Bureau of Labor Statistics states there are currently 260,000 paralegals in the U.S. today. They believe there will be a need for 80,000 more, an increase of roughly 28%, over the next decade. That makes this one of the fastest growing professions in the U.S. Analyzing the value of law program will work in your favor.
Then again, in this litigious society, one can use all the legal advice one can get. If one can save a considerable amount of money using a paralegal over an attorney, even the attorney will tell one to do it. Thus, being a paralegal is a career with a good future ahead of it.
Filed under Hispanic Scholarships by Rose