Paralegal Studies Certificate
How to Select the Right One Near Fort Collins Colorado
Once you have made a decision to enroll in a paralegal certificate or degree program near Fort Collins CO, it's time to begin the process of choosing a school. But in order to guarantee your success, it’s important that you find the best school so that you will get the extensive training that you need. As you probably understand, the legal field is one of the fastest growing occupations in the United States, and more and more educational alternatives are becoming available, both on campus and online. But just how do you go about enrolling in the right school with so many options? When looking for paralegal studies schools, the majority of students start by zeroing in on those that are closest to their homes with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important considerations when picking a college, they are not the only factors you need to consider. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example reputation and accreditation. We will address those topics and other crucial 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 exactly what a paralegal does and the educational options that are offered to earn either a paralegal certificate or degree.
Paralegals and Legal Assistants
Legal assistants and paralegals essentially both fill the same job positions and functions, 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 assist Fort Collins CO attorneys with a wide variety of job duties, such as legal research, maintaining client files, drafting legal documents and communicating with clients. Their specific job functions are based upon the type of practice where they are employed. As an example, a legal assistant for a criminal law practice might assist with trial logistics or transporting documents to court. In private firms, a paralegal's work is usually billed hourly as are the lawyer's. And just like attorneys, they must carry out their duties with a high level of professionalism and adhere to a strict code of professional ethics. As noted, their duties can be diverse in support of the firms where they are employed, but some of their routine tasks may involve:
- Researching and fact checking cases
- Researching applicable laws and cases
- Preparing correspondence and legal papers
- Filing legal documents with the court or opposing counsel
- Assisting lawyers prepare for trial and stay organized with their cases
- Organizing and managing legal files, documents and additional records
With all of their duties, the job of a paralegal can be complex and rather demanding. On the other hand, what they are not legally allowed to do is give legal advice and counsel or represent a client in a legal action. But paralegals are not confined to clerical or administrative functions more apropos to the job of a legal secretary. Paralegals truly are the right hand support systems for lawyers. And since they do so much of the legal ground work and preparation, lawyers have the ability to take on a much larger number of clients or cases than they could otherwise.
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 academic prerequisites and opportunities will be the same. The quickest way to start your career as a legal assistant in Fort Collins CO is by earning a certificate, which can involve as little as 6 months to accomplish. Many entry level positions do call for an Associate's Degree, which furnish a more extensive education and may be acquired at numerous community colleges in two years. And if you are interested in an even more extensive education, 4 year Bachelor's Degrees are offered also. When you have acquired either a certificate or degree, you might choose to continue and receive a certification. Although it is not a mandatory requirement in Colorado to practice as a paralegal, certification may not only help boost your career opportunities, but help substantiate you as a professional as well. A few of the highly respected 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 crucial initial steps that will help guarantee your success as either a legal assistant or a paralegal.
Online Paralegal and Legal Assistant Schools
Online paralegal or legal assistant schools have become more common and can be an excellent option for individuals living in Fort Collins CO searching for convenient access to classes and flexible scheduling. Online programs can be particularly attractive to individuals who keep working while obtaining a certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, online schools can in some cases be less costly than on campus options. Even supplementary expenditures for such items as study materials or commuting may be minimized or eliminated. One caveat, not all internet programs are accredited, which we will discuss 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 considering are accredited by a reputable organization, for instance the American Bar Association. But if you are disciplined enough to study in a less supervised and formal setting, then obtaining your certificate or degree online may be the ideal option for you.
Points to Ask Paralegal Degree Programs
Now that you have a better understanding about what paralegals do and what educational options are offered, you can begin the undertaking of evaluating schools. But considering that there are so many programs available at junior and community colleges in the Fort Collins CO area, as well as trade and vocational schools, you need to find out 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 potential students, you will start by searching for schools within commuting distance and then comparing their tuition. But as we have previously covered, there are other crucial factors to research as well, for instance the reputation and accreditation of the schools. So let's go over a few of the questions you need to be asking the programs you are considering so that you can properly vet each one and make your ultimate choice.
Is the Paralegal Program Accredited? The paralegal program and school that you pick should be accredited by a respected organization such as the American Bar Association. If it is an online school, it might also get accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which targets distance or online education. Accreditation will not only certify that the education you will obtain will be of the highest standard, but it will show future employers that you are a qualified professional also. A number of Fort Collins CO law firms will only employ entry level paralegals that are graduates of an accredited program. Also, financial assistance and student loans are usually offered only for accredited programs.
What's the Program's Reputation? Research what the reputations and rankings are for the legal assistant programs you are considering. This is of specific importance if you are new to the field with no previous work history, since employers will have to rely on the quality of your education exclusively. Confirming that the program you select is accredited is an excellent first step. Reviewing school rating reports can help confirm school quality of education and rankings as well. You can also call a few Fort Collins CO law firms that you may be interested in working for after graduating and ask what schools they suggest. Remember that even though a school is not the most highly ranked, its paralegal program could still have an outstanding reputation.
Does the Program Sponsor Internships? Internship programs provide students a chance to experience working in a law office or other legal establishment while still in school. They can also present a means for students to begin establishing contacts within the Fort Collins CO legal community. Find out if the paralegal programs you are evaluating provide internship programs, particularly in areas of the law that you have the most interest in pursuing upon graduation.
Is Job Placement Assistance offered? You will undoubtedly want to secure employment quickly after graduation, but finding that first job in a new field can be challenging without support. Ask if the paralegal programs you are interviewing have job placement programs and what their placement rates are. Rapid and high placement rates are a good indication that the schools have substantial networks and great relationships with Colorado legal services employers. It also corroborates that their students are well regarded and sought after.
Where is the School Located? Since laws differ among states, it might be a good idea to enroll in a legal assistant school domiciled in Colorado or the state where you want to practice after graduating. Also, it will be important to establish relationships in the local legal community, perhaps through an internship program. This is all the more justification to obtain your education in the community where you desire to practice. Also, if you attend classes at a community college, many require a higher tuition for students that reside outside of their districts. So you might want to initially investigate those schools that are within the Fort Collins CO region.
What is the Entire Expense? Paralegal schools can vary in cost based on the credential obtained and the length of training furnished. Having said that, tuition will not be the only cost for your education. Don't forget to add the cost of supplies, books and commuting to classes to your budget as well. Financial assistance might be obtainable to help reduce part of the expense, so make sure to check with the school's financial aid office to find out what is available in Fort Collins CO. Needless to say that if you decide to attend an online school, a portion these supplementary expenses, such as for commuting, may be decreased or eliminated.
Do the Class Times Match your Schedule? A number of legal students keep working while receiving their training and require flexibility to schedule classes. If you can just attend weekend or evening classes near Fort Collins CO, verify classes are available at those times. Also, if you can only attend on a part time basis, make sure that the school you select makes available that option. Last, ask what the procedure is for making-up missed classes because of sickness, work or family obligations.
Find Out More About How to Become a Paralegal in Fort Collins
Enroll in the Right Fort Collins Paralegal Studies School
Choosing the best paralegal training school is a vital first step toward your success in the rewarding field of law. As we have addressed in this article, you have the option of attending classes at school or you can participate online in the privacy and comfort of your Fort Collins home. Paralegal training programs are offered in numerous lengths and formats. Several kinds of public and private institutions provide paralegal training, including community and junior colleges, four year colleges and universities, in addition to trade and vocational schools. Your selection of a paralegal program will have a profound influence on your opportunities for success in your new profession. Since there is a wide range in the quality of schools, pick carefully. Give yourself the greatest possible chance to succeed in this exciting profession. But irrespective of how you decide to obtain your training and earn your degree or certificate, by asking the questions that we have presented you will have the ability to evaluate each school and make your final decision. And with the right education you can realize your career goal to become a successful paralegal in Fort Collins Colorado.
Fort Collins Paralegal Certificate Programs | Fort Collins Paralegal Certificate