Paralegal Studies School
How to Select the Best One Near Escondido California
Congratulations on your decision to enroll in paralegal studies near Escondido CA and start your journey that will result in a fulfilling profession in legal services. But in order to achieve your success, it’s important that you locate the best school so that you will get the extensive training that you need. As you probably know, the legal field is among the fastest growing occupations in the United States, and more and more academic choices are becoming available, both on campus and online. But with so many options to choose from, where does one start? When looking for paralegal studies programs, many potential students begin by targeting the ones that are nearest to their homes with the lowest tuition. But keep in mind, a school is not always the best choice just because it happens to have a campus near your home or is lower in cost. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as accreditation and reputation. Later in this article we will review a list of questions that you should ask prospective paralegal schools so that you can examine and compare each one prior to making your selection. But first, let's have a look at what a paralegal does and the academic choices that are offered to earn either a paralegal certificate or degree.
Paralegals Compared to Legal Assistants
Legal assistants and paralegals essentially both hold comparable job positions and responsibilities, only with different titles. However, legal secretaries are not the same as either of those two positions and belong to a separate job category. Both legal assistants and paralegals assist Escondido CA lawyers with a diverse array of job duties, such as maintaining client files, legal research, communicating with clients, and drafting legal documents. Their specific job duties are relevant to the type of practice where they are employed. As an example, a legal assistant for a criminal law practice might help with trial logistics or transporting files to court. In private practices, a paralegal's work is usually billed hourly as are the lawyer's. And just like attorneys, they must conduct themselves with a high degree of professionalism and adhere to a strict code of professional ethics. As noted, their responsibilities can be wide ranging in support of the practices where they work, but some of their daily tasks might involve:
- Researching and fact checking cases
- Researching related cases and laws
- Composing correspondence and legal papers
- Filing legal documents with opposing counsel or the court
- Assisting lawyers prepare for trial and stay organized with their cases
- Organizing and managing legal documents, files and other records
With all of their duties, the role of a paralegal can be involved and rather demanding. However, what they are not legally permitted to do is provide legal counsel and advice or represent a client in a legal action. But they are not limited to administrative or clerical duties more apropos to the job of a legal secretary. Paralegals really are the main support systems for lawyers. And since they do so much of the legal ground work and preparation, attorneys are able to take on a much larger number of clients or cases than they could alone.
Paralegal Education and Certification
As we discussed earlier, paralegals are essentially the same as legal assistants, with paralegals arguably having more professional sounding job titles. As a result, for either position the academic prerequisites and job prospects will be the same. The fastest way to begin your career as a legal assistant in Escondido CA is by earning a certificate, which can involve as little as six months to complete. Many entry level positions do call for an Associate's Degree, which provide a more expansive education and may be acquired at many community colleges in 2 years. For an even more comprehensive education, 4 year Bachelor's Degrees are available also. Once you have obtained either a degree or a certificate, you may want to continue and earn a certification. Although it is not a legal requirement in California to work as a paralegal, certification may not only help increase your employment opportunities, but help substantiate you as a professional as well. 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 certificate or degree from an accredited school (we will address the benefits of accreditation later) and obtaining a certification, you will have taken two crucial initial steps that will help guarantee your success as either a paralegal or a legal assistant.
Legal Assistant and Paralegal Online Classes
Legal assistant and paralegal online programs have become more popular and may be an excellent alternative for students living in Escondido CA searching for convenient access to classes and accommodating scheduling. Online programs can be particularly appealing to individuals who keep working while obtaining a certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, online schools can often be less expensive than more traditional options. Even supplementary expenses for such things as commuting or study materials may be reduced or eliminated. One caveat, not all online schools are accredited, which we will address in greater detail later. But at a minimum accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive is of the highest quality. So check to make sure that the school and program you are thinking about are accredited by a reputable agency, for instance the American Bar Association. But if you are dedicated enough to attend classes in a less structured and conventional environment, then obtaining your degree or certificate online could be the ideal choice for you.
Points to Ask Paralegal Programs
Now that you have a better idea regarding what paralegals do and what academic choices are available, you can start the undertaking of assessing schools. But considering that there are so many programs accessible at junior and community colleges in the Escondido CA area, as well as trade and vocational schools, you need to find out what questions to ask so that you can compare each one. This is particularly true when you add all of the online paralegal certificate and degree programs as well. If you are like many potential students, you will start by looking for schools within commuting distance and then comparing their tuition. But as we have previously covered, there are other crucial issues to consider also, such as the reputation and accreditation of the schools. So let's take a look at some of the questions you need to be asking the schools you are investigating so that you can thoroughly vet each one and make your ultimate choice.
Is the Paralegal Program Accredited? The paralegal school and program that you pick need to be accredited by a respected organization such as the American Bar Association. If it is an online program, it might also get accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which targets distance or online education. Accreditation will not only certify that the training you will receive will be of the highest standard, but it will show future employers that you are a qualified professional also. Many Escondido CA law firms will only employ entry level legal assistants that have graduated from an accredited school. Finally, financial aid and student loans are often available only for accredited programs.
What's the Reputation of the Program? Investigate what the reputations and rankings are for the paralegal programs you are looking at. This is of specific importance if you are new to the field with no prior work history, since employers will have to make a decision based on the quality of your education exclusively. Checking that the program you choose is accredited is an excellent first step. Checking school rating services can help determine school quality of education and rankings as well. You can also call some Escondido CA law practices that you may have an interest in working for after graduation and ask what schools they recommend. Keep in mind that even when a school is not the most highly rated, its paralegal program may still have an outstanding reputation.
Does the Program Provide Internships? Internship programs offer students a chance to experience working in a law office or other legal enterprise while attending school. They can also provide an avenue for students to begin creating contacts within the Escondido CA legal field. Find out if the paralegal schools you are evaluating provide internship programs, especially in areas of the law that you are most interested in entering after graduation.
Is Job Placement Help provided? You will probably wish to hit the ground running after graduation, but getting that first job in a new field can be difficult without support. Ask if the paralegal programs you are interviewing have job assistance programs and what their success rates are. High and rapid placement rates are a good sign that the schools have large networks and good relationships with California legal services employers. It also corroborates that their students are well regarded and in demand.
Where is the School's Location? Considering that laws differ from state to state, it may be a good idea to enroll in a paralegal school domiciled in California or the state where you plan to work after graduating. Also, it will be important to cultivate relationships in the neighboring legal community, perhaps through an internship program. This is all the more reason to obtain your education in the community where you choose to work. Also, if you attend classes at a community college, most charge an increased tuition for students that reside outside of their districts. So you might wish to initially investigate those schools that are within the Escondido CA region.
What is the Entire Cost? Paralegal programs can differ in cost depending on the credential received and the length of training furnished. Having said that, tuition will not be the only expense for your training. Don't forget to include the cost of books, supplies and commuting to classes to your budget as well. Financial assistance may be accessible to help minimize part of the expense, so make sure to talk to the school's financial aid department to see what is available in Escondido CA. Needless to say that if you decide to attend an online school, some of these additional expenses, for instance for commuting, might be reduced or eliminated.
Do the Classes Accommodate your Schedule? A number of legal students keep working while getting their training and need flexibility to schedule classes. If you can only attend weekend or evening classes near Escondido CA, make certain classes are offered at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend on a part time basis, make certain that the program you choose provides that option. Last, find out what the process is for making-up missed classes because of sickness, work or family obligations.
Learn More About Becoming a Paralegal in Escondido
Choose the Best Escondido Paralegal Studies Program
Selecting the right paralegal studies degree program is an important first step to guarantee your success in the rewarding field of law. As we have covered in this post, you have the choice of attending classes at school or you can attend them online in the comfort and privacy of your Escondido home. Paralegal training programs are made available in many lengths and formats. Various kinds of private and public institutions make available paralegal training, including community colleges, four year universities and colleges, in addition to trade and vocational schools. Your choice of a paralegal program will have a profound influence on your prospects for success in your new profession. Since there is a broad range in the quality of programs, pick wisely. Give yourself the greatest possible opportunity to succeed in this fascinating profession. But irrespective of how you decide to acquire your training and earn your certificate or degree, by asking the questions that we have provided you will have the ability to examine each school and make your final selection. And with the right training you can achieve your career objective to become a practicing paralegal in Escondido California.
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