Paralegal Studies Program
How to Select the Right One Near View Park Windsor Hills California
Congratulations on your decision to enroll in paralegal studies near View Park Windsor Hills CA and begin your journey that will lead to a rewarding profession in legal services. But in order to assure your success, it’s essential that you locate the ideal school so that you will get the extensive training that you need. More and more educational alternatives are becoming available in the legal field, both on campus and online, due to the increasing popularity of law related professions within the United States. However with so many options to choose from, where does one begin? A number of prospective students begin by trying to find schools within driving range of their homes. Of those options, they look for the program with the lowest tuition. But keep in mind, a school is not always the right choice just because it happens to have a campus near your home or is lower in cost. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as accreditation and reputation. Later in this article we will review a list of questions that you need to ask potential paralegal schools so that you can assess and compare each one before making your decision. But first, let's take a look at exactly what a paralegal does and the educational alternatives that are available to earn either a paralegal certificate or degree.
Paralegals and Legal Assistants
Legal assistants and paralegals essentially both fill the same job roles and functions, just with different titles. However, legal secretaries are not the same as either of those two positions and belong to a different job category. Both legal assistants and paralegals assist View Park Windsor Hills CA lawyers with a wide range of job functions, including maintaining client files, legal research, communicating with clients, and drafting legal documents. Their specific job functions are based upon the type of legal firm where they are employed. As an example, a legal assistant for a criminal law practice may assist with trial logistics or transporting files to court. In private firms, the work of a paralegal is normally billed hourly as are the attorney's. And the same as attorneys, they must carry out their duties with a high degree of professionalism and comply with a strict code of professional ethics. As stated, their duties can be wide ranging in support of the firms where they are employed, but some of their routine activities might include:
- Researching and fact checking cases
- Researching applicable laws and cases
- Preparing correspondence and legal documents
- Submitting legal documents with the court or opposing counsel
- Assisting attorneys get ready for trial and stay organized with their cases
- Organizing and preserving legal documents, files and other records
With all of their responsibilities, the job of a paralegal can be complicated and quite demanding. However, what they are not legally allowed to do is give legal counsel and advice or represent a client in a legal proceeding. But paralegals are not restricted to clerical or administrative duties more apropos to the job of a legal secretary. Paralegals really are the right hand support systems for lawyers. And since they do so much of the legal preparation and ground work, lawyers are able to manage a much larger number of clients or cases than they could otherwise.
Paralegal Training and Certification
As we previously covered, paralegals are basically the same as legal assistants, with paralegals possibly having more professional sounding job titles. In any case, for either position the academic prerequisites and opportunities will be the same. The quickest way to start your career as a paralegal in View Park Windsor Hills CA is by obtaining a certificate, which can involve 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 earned at numerous community colleges in 2 years. For an even more extensive education, 4 year Bachelor's Degrees are an option also. Once you have acquired either a degree or a certificate, you may choose to continue and receive a certification. Although it is not a legal requirement in California to work as a paralegal, certification can not only help maximize your job opportunities, but help establish you as a professional also. Some of the highly regarded certifying agencies 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 degree or certificate from an accredited school (we will discuss the advantages 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.
Online Legal Assistant and Paralegal Degrees
Online legal assistant or paralegal programs have become more available and may be a good option for students living in View Park Windsor Hills CA looking for convenient access to classes as well as accommodating scheduling. Online schools can be especially attractive to individuals who keep working while earning a degree. As an added advantage, online classes can in some cases be less costly than on campus options. Even supplementary expenses for such things as commuting or study materials may be reduced or eliminated. One caveat, not all internet programs are accredited, which we will cover in more detail later. But at a minimum accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive is of the highest quality. So check to make sure that the program and school you are thinking about are accredited by a reputable organization, for example the American Bar Association. But if you are dedicated enough to attend classes in a less supervised and conventional setting, then obtaining your certificate or degree online could be the right choice for you.
Things to Ask Paralegal Programs
Once you have a better idea regarding what paralegals do and what educational choices are offered, you can start the undertaking of assessing schools. But considering that there are so many programs offered at community and junior colleges in the View Park Windsor Hills CA area, in addition to trade and vocational schools, you must know what questions to ask in order to compare each one. This is especially true if you include all of the online paralegal certificate and degree programs also. If you are like the majority of prospective students, you will start by looking for schools within commuting distance and then comparing their tuition. But as we have previously discussed, there are other critical issues to research also, such as accreditation and the reputation of the schools. So let's take a look at several of the questions you should be asking the schools you are researching so that you can effectively vet each one and make your ultimate choice.
Is the Paralegal School Accredited? The paralegal school and program that you pick need to be accredited by a highly regarded accrediting agency such as the American Bar Association. If it is an online school, it might also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which targets online or distance training. Accreditation will not only help guarantee that the training you will get will be of the highest standard, but it will establish with potential employers that you are a qualified professional also. A number of View Park Windsor Hills CA law firms will only employ entry level legal assistants that have graduated from an accredited program. Also, financial aid and student loans are usually available only for accredited schools.
What's the School's Reputation? Research what the reputations and rankings are for the legal assistant schools you are considering. This is of special importance if you are entering the profession with no prior work history, since employers will need to make a decision based on the caliber of your education exclusively. Checking that the school you select is accredited is an excellent first step. Checking school rating services can help confirm school rankings and quality of education as well. You can also call a few View Park Windsor Hills CA law firms that you may have an interest in working for after graduation and ask which schools they recommend. Remember that even though a school is not the most highly ranked, its paralegal program may still have an excellent reputation.
Does the School Sponsor Internships? Internship programs offer students an opportunity to experience working in a law firm or other legal operation while attending school. They can also present a means for students to start developing contacts within the View Park Windsor Hills CA legal field. Find out if the paralegal programs you are evaluating offer internship programs, especially in areas of the law that you are most interested in pursuing after graduation.
Is Job Placement Help provided? You will undoubtedly wish to hit the ground running after graduation, but finding that first job in a new profession can be difficult without support. Ask if the paralegal programs you are reviewing have job assistance programs and what their placement rates are. Rapid and high placement rates are an excellent indication that the schools have sizable networks and great relationships with California legal services employers. It also confirms that their graduates are well regarded and sought after.
Where is the School Located? Since laws vary among states, it may be beneficial to choose a paralegal school located in California or the state where you plan to work after graduation. In addition, it will be necessary to develop relationships in the area legal community, perhaps by means of an internship program. This is all the more justification to acquire your education in the area where you choose to practice. Also, if you attend classes at a community college, many charge a higher tuition for students that live outside of their districts. So you might wish to initially consider those colleges that are within the View Park Windsor Hills CA region.
How Much is the Complete Expense? Paralegal schools can vary in cost depending on the credential obtained and the length of training furnished. However, tuition will not be the only expense for your education. Remember to add the cost of books, supplies and commuting to classes to your budget also. Financial aid might be accessible to help offset some of the expense, so make sure to consult with the school's financial aid department to find out what is offered in View Park Windsor Hills CA. Needless to say that if you opt to attend an online program, some of these supplementary costs, such as for commuting, might be reduced or eliminated.
Do the Class Times Accommodate your Schedule? A number of legal students continue working while getting their training and require flexibility in class scheduling. If you can only attend night or weekend classes near View Park Windsor Hills CA, make sure classes are available at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you enroll in makes available that option. Finally, find out what the protocol is for making up missed classes because of sickness, work or family obligations.
Find Out More About Becoming a Legal Assistant in View Park Windsor Hills
Choose the Right View Park Windsor Hills Paralegal Studies Program
Enrolling in the right paralegal studies certificate school is a crucial first step to guarantee your success in the gratifying field of law. As we have addressed in this article, you have the choice of attending classes on-campus or you can attend them online in the privacy and comfort of your View Park Windsor Hills residence. Paralegal training programs are provided in various lengths and formats. Several kinds of public and private institutions provide paralegal education, including junior and community colleges, four year universities and colleges, as well as vocational and trade schools. Your choice of a paralegal program will have a pronounced impact on your opportunities for success in your new career. Considering that there is a broad range in the quality of programs, choose carefully. Give yourself the best possible opportunity to succeed in this fascinating profession. But regardless of how you decide to receive your education and earn your certificate or degree, by asking the questions that we have presented you will have the ability to assess each program and make your ultimate selection. And with the ideal training you can accomplish your career goal to become a successful paralegal in View Park Windsor Hills California.
View Park Windsor Hills Paralegal Studies | View Park Windsor Hills Paralegal Schools