Paralegal Studies School
How to Pick the Best One Near Sanger California
Congratulations on your decision to enroll in paralegal studies near Sanger CA and begin your journey that will result in a gratifying career in legal services. However, it's important that you find the ideal school so that you will get the extensive training that you need to succeed. As you probably understand, the legal field is one of the fastest growing occupations in the United States, and more and more educational choices are being offered, both at school and online. But just how do you go about enrolling in the right program with so many alternatives? Some prospective students begin by looking for schools within traveling range of their homes. Of those options, they search for the program with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are very important considerations when picking a college, they are not the only qualifiers you must consider. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example reputation and accreditation. We will cover those issues and other crucial questions that you must ask the paralegal schools you are researching later in this article. But first, let's take a look at what a paralegal does and the academic alternatives that are offered to earn either a paralegal certificate or degree.
Paralegals vs Legal Assistants
Legal assistants and paralegals for the most part both hold the same job roles and functions, just with different titles. On the other hand, legal secretaries are not the equivalent of either of those two positions and belong to a different job category. Both paralegals and legal assistants assist Sanger CA lawyers with a wide range of job functions, including maintaining client files, legal research, drafting legal documents and communicating with clients. Their specific job functions are relevant to the type of practice where they are employed. As an example, a legal assistant for a criminal law firm may help with trial logistics or transferring files to court. In private firms, the work of a paralegal is typically billed hourly as are the attorney's. And just like attorneys, they must carry out their duties with a high degree of professionalism and abide by a strict standard of professional ethics. As noted, their duties can be varied in support of the firms where they are employed, but a few of their routine tasks might involve:
- Investigating and fact checking cases
- Researching related laws and cases
- Drafting correspondence and legal documents
- Filing legal papers with the court or opposing counsel
- Helping attorneys prepare for trial and stay organized with their cases
- Organizing and maintaining legal documents, files and additional records
With all of their duties, the role of a paralegal can be complex and rather demanding. However, what they are not legally allowed to do is provide legal advice and counsel or represent a client in a legal action. But paralegals are not restricted to clerical or administrative 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 ground work and preparation, lawyers have the ability to handle a much larger volume of clients or cases than they could alone.
Paralegal Education and Certification
As we discussed earlier, paralegals are actually the same as legal assistants, with paralegals possibly having more professional sounding job titles. As a result, for either position the educational prerequisites and opportunities will be the same. The quickest means to begin your career as a paralegal in Sanger CA is by earning a certificate, which can require just six months to accomplish. Most entry level positions do call for an Associate's Degree, which provide a more extensive education and can be obtained at numerous community colleges in two years. For an even more comprehensive education, four year Bachelor's Degrees are offered as well. When you have earned either a degree or a certificate, you might choose to proceed and get a certification. Even though it is not a mandatory requirement in California to practice as a paralegal, certification can not only help boost your career opportunities, but help establish you as a professional as well. A few of the highly respected certifying organizations 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 address the advantages of accreditation later) and earning a certification, you will have taken 2 essential first steps that will help guarantee your success as either a legal assistant or a paralegal.
Legal Assistant and Paralegal Online Programs
Paralegal and legal assistant online programs have become more prevalent and can be an excellent option for students living in Sanger CA searching for convenient access to classes and flexible scheduling. Online schools can be particularly appealing to individuals who continue to work while earning a degree. As an added benefit, online classes can in some cases be less expensive than more traditional options. Even secondary expenditures for such items as study materials or commuting may be minimized or eliminated. One caveat, not all online programs are accredited, which we will discuss in greater detail later. But at the very least accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive is of the highest caliber. So check to make certain that the school and program you are looking into are accredited by a respected organization, for example the American Bar Association. But if you are disciplined enough to attend classes in a less supervised and formal environment, then earning your degree or certificate online may be the ideal choice for you.
What to Ask Paralegal Degree Programs
Once you have a better idea about what paralegals do and what academic options are available, you can begin the undertaking of assessing schools. But considering that there are so many programs offered at community and junior colleges in the Sanger CA area, as well as trade and vocational schools, you need to know what questions to ask so that you can compare each one. This is especially true when you include all of the online paralegal certificate and degree programs also. If you are like many prospective students, you will begin by looking for schools within driving distance and then comparing their tuition. But as we have previously covered, there are other crucial factors to research as well, including the reputation and accreditation of the schools. So let's go over several of the questions you should be asking the programs you are researching so that you can effectively vet each one and make your ultimate decision.
Is the Paralegal School Accredited? The paralegal program and school that you select should be accredited by a highly regarded organization such as the American Bar Association. If it is an online program, it may also get accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which focuses on online or distance learning. Accreditation will not only help guarantee that the education you will get will be of the highest standard, but it will show future employers that you are a qualified professional as well. A number of Sanger CA law firms will only hire entry level paralegals that are graduates of an accredited school. Also, financial assistance and student loans are often obtainable only for accredited schools.
What's the Program's Reputation? Learn what the reputations and rankings are for the paralegal schools you are looking at. This is of special importance if you are entering the field with no prior work history, since employers will have to make a decision based on the caliber of your education exclusively. Confirming that the program you select is accredited is a good first step. Reviewing school rating services can help verify school quality of education and rankings as well. You can also contact a few Sanger CA law practices that you may be interested in working for after graduating and ask what schools they recommend. Remember that even when a school is not the most highly ranked, its paralegal program could still have an outstanding reputation.
Does the School Offer Internships? Internship programs give students a chance to experience working in a law office or other legal enterprise while attending school. They can also present a means for students to start creating contacts within the Sanger CA legal field. Find out if the paralegal programs you are considering provide internship programs, especially in areas of the law that you are most interested in pursuing upon graduation.
Is Job Placement Assistance offered? You will probably wish to hit the ground running after graduating, but finding that initial job in a new profession can be difficult without assistance. Find out if the paralegal schools you are considering have job assistance programs and what their placement rates are. High and rapid placement rates are an excellent sign that the schools have large networks and great relationships with California legal services employers. It also corroborates that their graduates are highly regarded and in demand.
Where is the School's Location? Because laws differ from state to state, it may be a good idea to enroll in a paralegal school located in California or the state where you wish to practice after graduating. Also, it will be necessary to establish relationships in the neighboring legal community, perhaps by means of an internship program. This is even more justification to acquire your education in the community where you desire to practice. Also, if you attend classes at a community college, many require an increased tuition for students that reside outside of their districts. So you might need to first consider those colleges that are within the Sanger CA area.
What is the Entire Cost? Paralegal schools can differ in price based on the credential received and the length of training provided. However, tuition will not be the only expense for your training. Remember to include the cost of supplies, books and commuting to classes to your budget also. Financial aid might be obtainable to help minimize part of the expense, so make sure to talk to the school's financial aid department to find out what is offered in Sanger CA. Of course if you decide to attend an online school, some of these added expenses, for instance for commuting, might be reduced 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 night or weekend classes near Sanger CA, make sure classes are available at those times. Also, if you can only attend on a part time basis, confirm that the school you select makes available that option. Last, find out what the process is for making up classes missed as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.
Learn More About Becoming a Legal Assistant in Sanger
Enroll in the Best Sanger Paralegal Studies School
Selecting the ideal paralegal certificate school is a crucial first step toward your success in the gratifying field of law. As we have addressed in this post, you have the choice of attending classes on-campus or you can attend them online in the privacy and comfort of your Sanger home. Paralegal academic programs are offered in various formats and lengths. Various kinds of public and private institutions make available paralegal training, including community and junior 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 prospects for success in your new profession. Given that there is a wide range in the quality of schools, choose carefully. Give yourself the best possible chance to succeed in this exciting profession. But regardless of how you decide to acquire your education and earn your certificate or degree, by asking the questions that we have presented you will be able to review each program and make your final selection. And with the ideal training you can achieve your career goal to become a successful paralegal in Sanger California.