Paralegal Studies Degree
How to Enroll in the Right One Near Salida California
Congratulations on your decision to enroll in a paralegal school near Salida CA and begin your journey that will lead to a rewarding profession in legal services. But in order to achieve your success, it’s essential that you locate the best program so that you will get the extensive training that you need. A growing number of educational choices are being offered in the legal field, both on campus and online, because of the growing popularity of law related occupations within the United States. But just how do you approach finding the right program with so many alternatives? Many prospective students start by searching for schools within traveling distance of their homes. Of those choices, they try to find the program with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important considerations when picking a college, they are not the only qualifiers you need to consider. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example accreditation and reputation. We will address those issues and other vital questions that you should be asking the paralegal schools you are looking at later in this article. But before we do, 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 and Legal Assistants
Legal assistants and paralegals basically both fill comparable job positions and responsibilities, just with different titles. However, legal secretaries are not the equivalent of either of those two positions and are part of a separate job classification. Both paralegals and legal assistants help Salida CA lawyers with a diverse array of job duties, including maintaining client files, legal research, drafting legal documents and communicating with clients. Their specific job duties are relevant to the type of legal firm where they are employed. For example, a legal assistant for a criminal law firm might assist with the logistics of a trial or transferring documents to court. In private firms, a paralegal's work is usually billed hourly as are the lawyer's. And the same as attorneys, they must conduct themselves with a high level of professionalism and abide by a strict code of professional ethics. As mentioned, their responsibilities can be diverse in support of the practices where they are employed, but a few of their daily tasks may involve:
- Investigating and fact checking cases
- Researching relevant cases and laws
- Composing correspondence and legal papers
- Filing legal papers with opposing counsel or the court
- Helping attorneys get ready for trial and keep organized with their cases
- Organizing and managing legal documents, files and additional records
With all of their duties, the job of a paralegal can be involved and rather demanding. On the other hand, what they are not legally allowed to do is offer legal counsel and advice or represent a client in a legal action. But paralegals are not restricted to administrative or clerical duties more apropos to the job of a legal secretary. Legal assistants really are the right hand support systems for lawyers. And because they do so much of the legal preparation and ground work, lawyers have the ability 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 basically the same as legal assistants, with paralegals possibly having more professional sounding job titles. In any case, for either position the educational prerequisites and opportunities will be the same. The quickest means to launch your career as a paralegal in Salida CA is by obtaining a certificate, which can take as little as six months to complete. A large number of entry level positions do require an Associate's Degree, which provide a more extensive education and may be acquired at numerous community colleges in 2 years. For an even more comprehensive education, four year Bachelor's Degrees are available also. After you have acquired either a degree or a certificate, you may want to continue and obtain a certification. Although it is not a legal requirement in California to practice as a paralegal, certification can not only help maximize your job opportunities, but help establish you as a professional also. A few of the highly regarded certifying organizations in the field 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 cover the benefits of accreditation later) and obtaining a certification, you will have taken two essential initial steps that will help ensure your success as either a legal assistant or a paralegal.
Online Paralegal and Legal Assistant Classes
Legal assistant and paralegal online programs have become more common and may be an excellent alternative for students living in Salida CA looking for convenient access to classes and flexible scheduling. Online schools can be particularly attractive to those who continue to work while earning a certificate or degree. As an added advantage, online programs can often be less costly than on campus options. Even ancillary expenses for such things as study materials or commuting may be minimized or eliminated. One caveat, not all online programs are accredited, which we will cover in more detail later. But at the very least accreditation helps guarantee that the education you obtain is of the highest caliber. So check to make sure that the school and program you are reviewing are accredited by a respected agency, for instance the American Bar Association. But if you are disciplined enough to study in a less supervised and conventional environment, then earning your certificate or degree online may be the right choice for you.
Things to Ask Paralegal Degree Programs
Since you now you have a better idea regarding what paralegals do and what training choices are offered, you can begin the undertaking of assessing schools. But since there are so many programs available at junior and community colleges in the Salida CA area, in addition to vocational and trade schools, you need to find out what questions to ask in order to evaluate each one. This is particularly true if you add all of the online paralegal certificate and degree programs as well. If you are like most prospective students, you will begin by searching for schools within commuting distance and then comparing their tuition. But as we have already covered, there are other critical aspects to think about as well, for instance accreditation and the reputation of the schools. So let's go over several of the questions you should be asking the programs you are investigating so that you can thoroughly vet each one and make your final selection.
Is the Paralegal School Accredited? The paralegal program and school that you select should be accredited by a highly regarded accrediting agency 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 receive will be of the highest standard, but it will demonstrate to potential employers that you are a qualified professional also. A number of Salida CA law firms will only employ entry level paralegals that have graduated from an accredited school. Also, financial assistance and student loans are typically offered only for accredited programs.
What's the Reputation of the School? Find out what the reputations and rankings are for the paralegal schools you are contemplating. This is of special importance if you are new to the field with no previous work history, since employers will need to rely on the caliber of your education exclusively. Checking that the school you select is accredited is a good first step. Checking school rating services can help determine school rankings and quality of education as well. You can also call several Salida CA law offices that you may have an interest in working for after graduation and ask what schools they recommend. Remember that even when a school is not the most highly rated, its paralegal program may still have an outstanding reputation.
Does the Program Sponsor Internships? Internship programs give students an opportunity to experience working in a law firm or other legal enterprise while still in school. They can also offer a means for students to start creating contacts within the Salida CA legal community. Find out if the paralegal programs you are evaluating offer internship programs, particularly in areas of the law that you are most interested in entering after graduation.
Is Job Placement Help offered? You will undoubtedly wish to secure employment quickly after graduation, but getting that initial job in a new field can be challenging without assistance. Find out if the paralegal schools you are assessing have job placement programs and what their success rates are. Rapid and high placement rates are an excellent sign that the schools have large networks and good relationships with California legal services employers. It also substantiates that their graduates are highly regarded and sought after.
Where is the School Located? Considering that laws differ among states, it might be a good idea to select a paralegal school located in California or the state where you plan to work after graduation. Also, it will be valuable to build relationships in the local legal community, possibly through an internship program. This is all the more reason to acquire your education in the area where you want to practice. Also, if you attend classes at a community college, most require an increased tuition for students that live outside of their districts. So you might wish to initially investigate those schools that are within the Salida CA area.
How Much is the Total Cost? Paralegal schools can differ in cost based on the credential earned and the amount of training furnished. Having said that, tuition will not be the only expense for your training. Don't forget to add the cost of books, supplies and commuting to classes to your budget also. Financial assistance may be obtainable to help reduce some of the expense, so make sure to talk to the school's financial aid office to see what is offered in Salida CA. Of course if you choose to attend an online school, a portion these supplementary expenses, for instance for commuting, may be reduced or eliminated.
Do the Classes Accommodate your Schedule? Many paralegal students continue working while getting their training and need flexibility to schedule classes. If you can solely attend weekend or evening classes near Salida CA, make certain classes are available at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you choose offers that option. Last, inquire what the process is for making-up classes missed because of sickness, work or family obligations.
Find Out More About How to Become a Paralegal in Salida
Enroll in the Right Salida Paralegal Studies School
Enrolling in the ideal paralegal training school is an important first step to guarantee your success in the rewarding field of law. As we have covered in this article, you have the choice of attending classes at school or you can participate online in the privacy and comfort of your Salida residence. Paralegal education programs are offered in many lengths and formats. Various kinds of private and public institutions provide paralegal training, including community colleges, four-year universities and colleges, as well as trade and vocational schools. Your selection of a paralegal program will have a profound influence on your opportunities for success in your new profession. Considering that there is a wide range in the quality of schools, choose carefully. Afford yourself the best possible opportunity to be successful in this exciting profession. But no matter how you decide to acquire your training and earn your degree or certificate, by asking the questions that we have provided you will be able to examine each program and make your ultimate decision. And with the ideal training you can realize your career goal to become a successful paralegal in Salida California.