Paralegal Studies Degree
How to Choose the Best One Near West Hollywood California
Congratulations on your decision to enroll in paralegal studies near West Hollywood CA and start your journey that will result in a fulfilling profession in legal services. But in order to guarantee your success, it’s crucial that you find the best school so that you will get the comprehensive training that you need. As you probably understand, the legal field is among the fastest growing occupations in the United States, and more and more academic options are being offered, both at school and online. But just how do you go about finding the right school with numerous alternatives? Many potential students begin by trying to find schools within traveling range of their homes. Of those choices, they try to find the program with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are very important considerations when selecting a school, they are not the only qualifiers you need to consider. Things such as the reputation and accreditation of the school need to be taken into account as well. We will address those issues and other important questions that you should be asking the paralegal schools you are looking at later in this article. But first, let's take a look at what a paralegal does and the instructional options that are available to earn either a paralegal certificate or degree.
Paralegals Compared to Legal Assistants
Legal assistants and paralegals basically both hold comparable job roles and responsibilities, just with different titles. On the other hand, legal secretaries are not the same as either of those two positions and belong to a separate job classification. Both paralegals and legal assistants assist West Hollywood CA attorneys with a wide variety of job functions, including legal research, maintaining client files, communicating with clients, and drafting legal documents. Their particular job duties are based upon the type of legal firm where they are employed. For example, a legal assistant for a criminal law firm might assist with trial logistics or transporting files to court. In private firms, the work of a paralegal is normally billed by the hour as are the attorney's. And just like lawyers, they must perform with a high level of professionalism and comply with a strict standard of professional ethics. As mentioned, their duties can be wide ranging in support of the practices where they work, but a few of their daily tasks may include:
- Researching and fact checking cases
- Researching related laws and cases
- Drafting correspondence and legal documents
- Filing legal papers with opposing counsel or the court
- Helping lawyers get ready for trial and stay organized with their cases
- Organizing and maintaining legal documents, files and other records
With all of their responsibilities, the job of a paralegal can be involved and very challenging. On the other hand, what they are not legally authorized to do is offer legal counsel and advice or represent a client in a legal proceeding. But paralegals are not limited to clerical or administrative functions more applicable to the job of a legal secretary. Paralegals really are the main 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 Education and Certification
As we previously covered, paralegals are essentially the same as legal assistants, with paralegals possibly having more professional sounding job titles. As a result, for either position the academic requirements and job prospects will be the same. The fastest way to launch your career as a paralegal in West Hollywood CA is by earning a certificate, which can involve just 6 months to accomplish. A large number of 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 extensive education, four year Bachelor's Degrees are an option also. Once you have earned either a certificate or degree, you might want to continue and obtain a certification. Even though it is not a legal requirement in California to practice as a paralegal, certification may not only help boost your job opportunities, but help substantiate you as a professional as well. Some 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 crucial initial steps that will help ensure your success as either a paralegal or a legal assistant.
Online Paralegal and Legal Assistant Degrees
Online legal assistant or paralegal schools have become more popular and may be a good option for individuals living in West Hollywood CA looking for convenient access to classes and accommodating scheduling. Online schools can be especially attractive to individuals who continue to work while earning a certificate or degree. As an added benefit, online schools can in some cases be less costly than on campus options. Even secondary expenditures for such things as study materials or commuting can be minimized or eliminated. One caution, not all online programs are accredited, which we will address in greater detail later. But at a minimum accreditation helps ensure that the training you obtain is of the highest caliber. So check to make certain that the school and program you are considering are accredited by a reputable agency, such as the American Bar Association. But if you are dedicated enough to attend classes in a less structured and formal environment, then obtaining your certificate or degree online could be the right choice for you.
Points to Ask Paralegal Degree Programs
Once you have a better idea about what paralegals do and what educational choices are offered, you can start the process of assessing schools. But since there are so many programs offered at junior and community colleges in the West Hollywood CA area, in addition to trade and vocational schools, you must know what questions to ask so that you can compare each one. This is particularly true when you include all of the online paralegal degree and certificate programs also. 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 previously discussed, there are other important issues to consider as well, including the reputation and accreditation 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 properly vet each one and make your ultimate choice.
Is the Paralegal Training Accredited? The paralegal program and school that you select should be accredited by a reputable 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 targets distance or online education. Accreditation will not only help guarantee that the training you will get will be of the highest standard, but it will demonstrate to potential employers that you are a qualified professional also. A number of West Hollywood CA law firms will only employ entry level paralegals that have graduated from an accredited program. Also, financial aid and student loans are often available only for accredited schools.
What's the Reputation of the School? Find out what the reputations and rankings are for the legal assistant programs you are considering. This is of specific importance if you are entering the field with no prior experience, since employers will need to rely on the caliber of your education exclusively. Checking that the program you pick is accredited is an excellent first step. Checking school rating reports can help determine school quality of education and rankings as well. You can also contact a few West Hollywood CA law firms that you may have an interest in working for after graduating and ask which schools they recommend. Keep in mind that even when a school is not the most highly ranked, its paralegal program may still have an excellent reputation.
Does the Program Sponsor Internships? Internship programs offer students a chance to experience working in a law office or other legal establishment while remaining in school. They can also present a pathway for students to start establishing contacts within the West Hollywood CA legal field. Ask if the paralegal programs you are reviewing provide internship programs, especially in areas of the law that you have the most interest in pursuing after graduation.
Is Job Placement Help provided? You will undoubtedly want to hit the ground running after graduation, but getting that first job in a new field can be challenging without support. Ask if the paralegal programs you are assessing have job assistance programs and what their success rates are. High and rapid placement rates are an excellent sign that the schools have substantial networks and good relationships with California legal services employers. It also confirms that their graduates are well regarded and in demand.
Where is the Campus Located? Considering that laws differ among states, it might be beneficial to select a paralegal school domiciled in California or the state where you wish to work after graduating. Also, it will be important to create relationships in the area legal community, perhaps by means of an internship program. This is even more justification to receive your education in the area where you desire to work. Also, if you attend classes at a community college, most charge a higher tuition for students that live outside of their districts. So you might need to initially investigate those colleges that are within the West Hollywood CA region.
How Much is the Complete Cost? Paralegal schools can vary in price based on the credential obtained and the length of training provided. Having said that, tuition will not be the only cost for your training. Don't forget to include the cost of supplies, books and commuting to classes to your budget as well. Financial aid may be available to help minimize some of the expense, so be sure to talk to the school's financial aid department to find out what is available in West Hollywood CA. Needless to say that if you decide to attend an online program, some of these added expenses, such as for commuting, may be reduced or eliminated.
Do the Classes Match your Schedule? A number of legal students continue working while receiving their training and require flexibility in class scheduling. If you can only attend night or weekend classes near West Hollywood CA, verify classes are offered at those times. Also, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you choose makes available that option. Last, inquire what the protocol is for making up missed classes because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Find Out More About How to Become a Legal Assistant in West Hollywood
Enroll in the Right West Hollywood Paralegal Studies Program
Choosing the ideal paralegal degree program is an essential first step to guarantee your success in the rewarding 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 comfort and privacy of your West Hollywood residence. Paralegal education programs are made available in numerous formats and lengths. Different types of public and private institutions make available paralegal training, including community colleges, four year colleges and universities, in addition to vocational and trade schools. Your choice of a paralegal program will have a profound influence on your opportunities for success in your new profession. Considering that there is a broad range in the quality of schools, choose carefully. Give yourself the greatest possible chance to be successful in this exciting profession. But no matter how you elect to acquire your education and earn your degree or certificate, by asking the questions that we have presented you will have the ability to review each program and make your final decision. And with the right training you can realize your career goal to become a practicing paralegal in West Hollywood California.
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