Paralegal Studies School
How to Find the Best One Near West Hills California
Now that you have made a decision to enroll in a paralegal certificate or degree program near West Hills CA, it's time to begin the process of selecting a school. But in order to guarantee your success, it’s important that you find the ideal school so that you will receive the comprehensive training that you need. As you most likely 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 with so many options to choose from, where does one start? When checking out paralegal studies programs, the majority of students start by zeroing in on those that are nearest to their homes with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are necessary considerations when choosing a school, they are not the only qualifiers you need to take into consideration. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance reputation and accreditation. We will cover those issues and other crucial questions that you should be asking the paralegal schools you are interested in later in this article. But before we do, let's have a look at what a paralegal does and the academic alternatives that are offered to earn either a paralegal certificate or degree.
Paralegals and Legal Assistants
Paralegals and legal assistants for the most part both hold comparable job positions and responsibilities, just with different titles. However, legal secretaries are not the same as either of those two positions and are part of a separate job category. Both paralegals and legal assistants help West Hills CA attorneys with a wide variety of job functions, such as maintaining client files, legal research, drafting legal documents and communicating with clients. Their particular job duties are relevant to the type of practice where they work. As an example, a legal assistant for a criminal law firm might assist with trial logistics or transporting documents to court. In private practices, the work of a paralegal is typically billed by the hour as are the lawyer's. And the same as lawyers, they must perform 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 work, but some of their everyday activities can include:
- Investigating and fact checking cases
- Researching related laws and cases
- Drafting correspondence and legal documents
- Filing legal documents with the court or opposing counsel
- Assisting lawyers get ready for trial and keep organized with their cases
- Organizing and preserving legal files, documents and other records
With all of their responsibilities, the role of a paralegal can be complicated and very demanding. However, what they are not legally allowed to do is offer legal advice and counsel or represent a client in a legal action. But paralegals are not restricted to clerical or administrative tasks more apropos to the job of a legal secretary. Paralegals truly are the right hand support systems for attorneys. And since they do so much of the legal preparation and ground work, attorneys have the ability to manage a much larger volume of clients or cases than they could on their own.
Paralegal Training and Certification
As we discussed earlier, paralegals are actually the same as legal assistants, with paralegals arguably having more professional sounding job titles. In any case, for either position the educational prerequisites and opportunities will be the same. The fastest means to launch your career as a legal assistant in West Hills CA is by earning a certificate, which can involve just six months to complete. Many entry level positions do require an Associate's Degree, which provide a more extensive education and may be obtained at many community colleges in two years. And if you are interested in an even more extensive education, four year Bachelor's Degrees are an option also. After you have obtained either a certificate or degree, you may want to continue and receive a certification. Although it is not a legal requirement in California to work as a paralegal, certification may not only help improve your career opportunities, but help establish you as a professional as well. A few 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 two crucial initial steps that will help ensure your success as either a legal assistant or a paralegal.
Online Paralegal and Legal Assistant Degrees
Legal assistant and paralegal online schools have become more available and can be a good alternative for students living in West Hills CA looking for convenient access to classes as well as flexible scheduling. Online programs can be particularly appealing to individuals who continue to work while earning a degree. As an additional benefit, online schools can often be less expensive than more traditional options. Even supplementary expenditures for such items as study materials or commuting may be minimized or eliminated. One caveat, not all internet schools are accredited, which we will discuss in greater detail later. But at the very least accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive is of the highest caliber. So check to make certain that the program and school you are looking into are accredited by a highly regarded organization, for example the American Bar Association. But if you are dedicated enough to study in a less structured and formal environment, then obtaining your certificate or degree online may be the right option for you.
Questions to Ask Paralegal Degree Programs
Once you have a better idea about what paralegals do and what educational options are available, you can begin the process of assessing schools. But because there are so many programs available at junior and community colleges in the West Hills CA area, in addition to trade and vocational schools, you need to find out what questions to ask so that you can evaluate each one. This is particularly true if you include all of the online paralegal certificate and degree programs as well. If you are like the majority of prospective students, you will begin by looking for schools within commuting distance and then comparing their tuition. But as we have already covered, there are other crucial aspects to consider as well, for instance accreditation and the reputation of the schools. So let's go over several of the questions you need to be asking the programs you are researching so that you can properly vet each one and make your ultimate decision.
Is the Paralegal School Accredited? The paralegal school and program that you select need to be accredited by a reputable accrediting agency such as the American Bar Association. If it is an online school, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which focuses on online or distance education. Accreditation will not only help guarantee that the education you will obtain will be of the highest quality, but it will establish with potential employers that you are a qualified professional also. A number of West Hills CA law firms will only hire entry level paralegals that have graduated from an accredited school. Finally, financial aid and student loans are typically obtainable only for accredited programs.
What's the Reputation of the School? Investigate 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 experience, since employers will have to rely on the caliber of your education exclusively. Checking that the school you choose is accredited is a good first step. Checking school rating services can help determine school quality of education and rankings as well. You can also contact several West Hills CA law firms that you may be interested in working for after graduating and ask which schools they recommend. Remember that even if a school is not the most highly ranked, its paralegal program could still have an excellent reputation.
Does the Program Provide Internships? Internship programs give students a chance to experience working in a law firm or other legal operation while remaining in school. They can also provide an avenue for students to start creating contacts within the West Hills CA legal field. Ask if the paralegal schools you are considering provide internship programs, especially in areas of the law that you have the most interest in entering after graduation.
Is Job Placement Assistance provided? You will probably wish to secure employment quickly after graduating, but getting that first job in a new profession can be difficult without assistance. Ask if the paralegal programs you are interviewing have job assistance programs and what their placement rates are. High and rapid 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's Location? Since laws differ from one state to another, it might be advantageous to select a legal assistant school domiciled in California or the state where you wish to work after graduation. In addition, it will be valuable to establish relationships in the area legal community, perhaps by means of an internship program. This is even more justification to obtain your education in the area where you want to work. Also, if you attend classes at a community college, most require a higher tuition for students that reside outside of their districts. So you may need to first consider those schools that are within the West Hills CA area.
How Much is the Entire Expense? Paralegal programs can vary in price depending on the credential earned and the amount of training provided. Having said that, tuition will not be the only cost for your education. Remember to include the cost of supplies, books and commuting to classes to your budget as well. Financial assistance may be obtainable to help minimize some of the cost, so make sure to talk to the school's financial aid office to see what is offered in West Hills CA. Naturally if you decide to attend an online school, a portion these additional costs, such as for commuting, might be reduced or eliminated.
Do the Class Times Match your Schedule? Many paralegal students continue working while obtaining their training and require flexibility in class scheduling. If you can solely attend weekend or evening classes near West Hills CA, make certain classes are offered at those times. Also, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm that the program you choose makes available that option. Last, ask what the procedure is for making-up classes missed due to sickness, work or family obligations.
Find Out More About Becoming a Paralegal in West Hills
Enroll in the Best West Hills Paralegal Studies Program
Choosing the right paralegal training program is a vital first step toward your success in the rewarding field of law. As we have discussed 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 West Hills home. Paralegal academic programs are made available in various lengths and formats. Various kinds of private and public institutions provide paralegal education, 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 pronounced impact on your prospects for success in your new career. Considering that there is a broad range in the quality of schools, choose carefully. Give yourself the greatest possible opportunity to succeed in this exciting profession. But no matter how you choose to obtain your education and earn your degree or certificate, by asking the questions that we have provided you will have the ability to assess each program and make your ultimate selection. And with the right training you can achieve your career objective to become a practicing paralegal in West Hills California.