Paralegal Studies Degree
How to Choose the Best One Near Florence Alabama
Congratulations on your decision to enroll in a paralegal school near Florence AL and start your journey that will result in a fulfilling profession in legal services. But in order to assure your success, it’s crucial that you find the ideal school so that you will receive the comprehensive training that you need. As you probably know, the legal field is among the fastest growing occupations in the United States, and increasingly more academic alternatives are being offered, both at school and online. But just how do you approach finding the right school with numerous options? Some potential students begin by searching for schools within traveling distance of their homes. Of those choices, they try to find the program with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are necessary considerations when selecting a school, they are not the only qualifiers you ought to take into consideration. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance accreditation and reputation. We will address those topics and other vital questions that you must ask the paralegal schools you are researching later in this article. But first, let's have a look at what a paralegal does and the instructional choices that are available to earn either a paralegal certificate or degree.
Paralegals and Legal Assistants
Paralegals and legal assistants basically both hold the same job positions and responsibilities, just with different titles. On the other hand, legal secretaries are not the same as either of those two positions and belong to a separate job category. Both paralegals and legal assistants help Florence AL attorneys with a wide variety of job duties, including maintaining client files, legal research, drafting legal documents and communicating with clients. Their specific job functions are based upon the type of practice where they are employed. As an example, a legal assistant for a criminal law firm could help with the logistics of a trial or transferring files to court. In private firms, the work of a paralegal is typically billed by the hour as are the lawyer's. And just like lawyers, they must conduct themselves with a high level of professionalism and abide by a strict standard of professional ethics. As mentioned, their responsibilities can be varied in support of the practices where they work, but a few of their everyday activities may include:
- Investigating and fact checking cases
- Researching related cases and laws
- Drafting correspondence and legal documents
- Filing legal papers with opposing counsel or the court
- Assisting lawyers prepare for trial and stay organized with their cases
- Organizing and maintaining legal files, documents and additional records
With all of their responsibilities, the role of a paralegal can be complicated and quite demanding. However, what they are not legally permitted to do is provide legal advice and counsel or represent a client in a legal proceeding. But paralegals are not limited to clerical or administrative duties more apropos to the job of a legal secretary. Paralegals truly are the right hand support systems for lawyers. And because they do so much of the legal ground work and preparation, lawyers are able to manage a much larger volume of cases or clients than they could alone.
Paralegal Education and Certification
As we previously covered, paralegals are basically the same as legal assistants, with paralegals arguably having more professional sounding job titles. In any case, for either position the educational prerequisites and job prospects will be the same. The fastest means to launch your career as a legal assistant in Florence AL is by obtaining a certificate, which may require as little as six months to complete. Many entry level positions do require an Associate's Degree, which offer a more comprehensive education and can be obtained at many community colleges in 2 years. For an even more extensive education, 4 year Bachelor's Degrees are available as well. When you have obtained either a degree or a certificate, you might want to proceed and obtain a certification. Although it is not a mandatory requirement in Alabama to practice as a paralegal, certification may not only help increase your career opportunities, but help substantiate you as a professional also. A few of the highly respected certifying agencies in the profession are:
- National Federation of Paralegal Associations
- American Alliance of Paralegals
- National Association of Legal Assistants
- National Association for Legal Professionals
By graduating with a paralegal degree or certificate from an accredited school (we will cover the benefits of accreditation later) and obtaining a certification, you will have taken 2 crucial initial steps that will help guarantee your success as either a paralegal or a legal assistant.
Legal Assistant and Paralegal Online Degrees
Paralegal and legal assistant online schools have become more prevalent and can be a good alternative for individuals living in Florence AL searching for convenient access to classes as well as accommodating scheduling. Online programs can be particularly attractive to those who keep working while earning a degree. As an added advantage, online schools can sometimes be less expensive than more traditional options. Even ancillary expenses for such items as study materials or commuting can be minimized or eliminated. One caveat, not all internet programs are accredited, which we will cover in greater detail later. But at the very least accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive is of the highest quality. So check to make certain that the school and program you are thinking about are accredited by a respected agency, such as the American Bar Association. But if you are disciplined enough to attend classes in a less supervised and formal setting, then earning your certificate or degree online might be the right option for you.
Things to Ask Paralegal Programs
Once you have a better idea regarding what paralegals do and what academic choices are offered, you can start the undertaking of evaluating schools. But since there are numerous programs offered at community and junior colleges in the Florence AL area, in addition to trade and vocational schools, you must know what questions to ask so that you can compare each one. This is particularly true when you include all of the online paralegal certificate and degree programs also. If you are like many prospective students, you will start by looking for schools within driving distance and then comparing their tuition. But as we have already covered, there are other critical factors to research also, including the reputation and accreditation of the schools. So let's take a look at a few of the questions you should be asking the programs you are considering so that you can effectively vet each one and make your ultimate selection.
Is the Paralegal Program and School Accredited? The paralegal program and school that you enroll in should be accredited by a recognized organization such as the American Bar Association. If it is an online school, it might also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which focuses on distance or online training. Accreditation will not only help guarantee that the education you will get will be of the highest quality, but it will establish with potential employers that you are a qualified professional as well. Many Florence AL law firms will only employ entry level paralegals that have graduated from an accredited school. Finally, financial aid and student loans are typically accessible only for accredited schools.
What's the Reputation of the School? Learn what the reputations and rankings are for the paralegal programs you are looking at. This is of specific importance if you are entering the field with no previous work history, since employers will have to make a decision based on the quality of your education exclusively. Checking that the program you pick is accredited is a good first step. Checking school rating reports can help verify school quality of education and rankings as well. You can also call a few Florence AL law offices that you may have an interest in working for after graduation and ask what schools they suggest. Remember that even if a school is not the most highly ranked, its paralegal program may still have an exceptional reputation.
Does the Program Provide Internships? Internship programs offer students a chance to experience working in a law firm or other legal operation while remaining in school. They can also provide a means for students to start creating contacts within the Florence AL legal field. Find out if the paralegal programs you are evaluating offer internship programs, especially in areas of the law that you have the most interest in pursuing upon graduation.
Is Job Placement Help provided? You will undoubtedly want to hit the ground running after graduating, but finding that first job in a new field can be difficult without assistance. Find out if the paralegal schools you are assessing have job assistance programs and what their placement rates are. High and rapid placement rates are a good indication that the schools have substantial networks and great relationships with Alabama legal services employers. It also corroborates that their graduates are well regarded and in demand.
Where is the School Located? Considering that laws differ from state to state, it may be beneficial to enroll in a paralegal school located in Alabama or the state where you plan to work after graduating. In addition, it will be necessary to establish relationships in the local legal community, possibly through an internship program. This is all the more reason to acquire your education in the community where you wish to practice. Also, if you go to classes at a community college, many require a higher tuition for students that live outside of their districts. So you might need to first investigate those colleges that are within the Florence AL region.
What is the Entire Cost? Paralegal programs can vary in cost based on the credential obtained and the length of training provided. Having said that, tuition will not be the only expense for your education. Don't forget to add the cost of books, supplies and commuting to classes to your budget also. Financial aid may be available to help minimize some of the cost, so don't forget to check with the school's financial aid office to see what is available in Florence AL. Needless to say that if you opt to attend an online school, a portion these additional costs, for instance for commuting, might be decreased or eliminated.
Do the Class Times Fit your Schedule? A number of legal students keep working while getting their training and need flexibility in class scheduling. If you can only attend weekend or evening classes near Florence AL, make sure classes are available at those times. Also, if you can only attend on a part time basis, make sure that the school you select makes available that option. Finally, ask what the procedure is for making up classes missed because of sickness, work or family obligations.
Find Out More About Becoming a Paralegal in Florence
Choose the Right Florence Paralegal Studies School
Choosing the best paralegal studies certificate program is an essential first step to guarantee your success in the rewarding field of law. As we have addressed in this article, you have the choice of attending classes on-campus or you can participate online in the privacy and comfort of your Florence residence. Paralegal academic programs are made available in numerous formats and lengths. Various kinds of public and private institutions make available paralegal education, including community and junior colleges, four-year universities and colleges, as well as vocational and trade schools. Your choice of a paralegal school will have a profound influence on your prospects for success in your new profession. Considering that there is a broad range in the quality of schools, pick carefully. Give yourself the best possible opportunity to be successful in this rewarding profession. But regardless of how you choose to acquire your education and earn your degree or certificate, by asking the questions that we have presented you will have the ability to evaluate each school and make your ultimate selection. And with the right training you can accomplish your career objective to become a practicing paralegal in Florence Alabama.
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