Paralegal Studies Program
How to Select the Right One Near Conway Florida
Congratulations on your decision to enroll in a paralegal school near Conway FL and begin your journey that will lead to a gratifying profession in legal services. But in order to guarantee your success, it’s crucial that you find the ideal program so that you will get the extensive 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 educational choices are becoming available, both on campus and online. But just how do you go about finding the right school with so many alternatives? Many potential students begin by trying to find schools within commuting range of their homes. Of those alternatives, they try to find the program with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are very important considerations when picking a college, they are not the only factors you need to consider. Things such as accreditation and the reputation of the school must be considered also. We will address those issues and other crucial questions that you should be asking the paralegal schools you are reviewing later in this article. But first, let's take a look at exactly what a paralegal does and the instructional choices that are available to earn either a paralegal certificate or degree.
Paralegals and Legal Assistants
Paralegals and legal assistants for the most part both hold comparable job roles and responsibilities, just with different titles. However, legal secretaries are not the equivalent of either of those two positions and belong to a different job classification. Both legal assistants and paralegals help Conway FL attorneys with a wide range of job duties, including maintaining client files, legal research, communicating with clients, and drafting legal documents. Their specific job duties 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 the logistics of a trial or transporting documents to court. In private firms, a paralegal's work is normally billed by the hour as are the attorney's. And just like attorneys, they must carry out their duties with a high level of professionalism and comply with a strict standard of professional ethics. As stated, their responsibilities can be varied in support of the practices where they work, but some of their daily activities may include:
- Researching and fact checking cases
- Researching applicable laws and cases
- Composing correspondence and legal documents
- Filing legal papers with the court or opposing counsel
- Helping lawyers prepare for trial and keep organized with their cases
- Organizing and managing legal documents, files and other records
With all of their duties, the job of a paralegal can be complicated and rather demanding. However, what they are not legally permitted to do is offer legal counsel and advice or represent a client in a legal proceeding. But paralegals are not limited to administrative or clerical tasks more apropos to the job of a legal secretary. Paralegals really are the main support systems for lawyers. And because they do so much of the legal preparation and ground work, lawyers are able to handle a much larger number of cases or clients than they could on their own.
Paralegal Training and Certification
As we discussed earlier, paralegals are essentially the same as legal assistants, with paralegals perhaps having more professional sounding job titles. As a result, for either position the educational requirements and opportunities will be the same. The fastest means to begin your career as a legal assistant in Conway FL is by earning a certificate, which may take as little as six months to complete. Many entry level positions do require an Associate's Degree, which furnish a more extensive education and may be earned at many community colleges in 2 years. For an even more comprehensive education, 4 year Bachelor's Degrees are available as well. When you have earned either a certificate or degree, you may choose to proceed and receive a certification. Even though it is not a mandatory requirement in Florida to work as a paralegal, certification may not only help increase your job opportunities, but help substantiate you as a professional as well. A few of the highly respected 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 important initial steps that will help guarantee your success as either a legal assistant or a paralegal.
Online Paralegal and Legal Assistant Programs
Paralegal and legal assistant online programs have become more available and may be a good option for those living in Conway FL searching for convenient access to classes and flexible scheduling. Online schools can be particularly appealing to students who keep working while obtaining a certificate or degree. As an additional advantage, online classes can often be less expensive than more traditional options. Even secondary expenditures for such things as commuting or study materials may be minimized or eliminated. One caveat, not all online schools are accredited, which we will address in more detail later. But at a minimum 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 thinking about are accredited by a highly regarded agency, for instance the American Bar Association. But if you are dedicated enough to attend classes in a less supervised and conventional setting, then earning your certificate or degree online may be the right option for you.
Points to Ask Paralegal Studies Programs
Once you have a better idea regarding what paralegals do and what educational choices are available, you can start the process of evaluating schools. But because there are so many programs offered at junior and community colleges in the Conway FL area, in addition to trade and vocational schools, you must find out what questions to ask so that you can compare each one. This is particularly true if you add all of the online paralegal degree and certificate programs as well. If you are like the majority of potential students, you will start by searching for schools within driving distance and then comparing their tuition. But as we have already discussed, there are other important issues to consider also, such as the reputation and accreditation of the schools. So let's take a look at a few of the questions you need to be asking the programs you are researching so that you can effectively vet each one and make your ultimate selection.
Is the Paralegal Program and School Accredited? The paralegal program and school that you select 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 receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which focuses on distance or online learning. Accreditation will not only certify that the training you will obtain will be of the highest standard, but it will show potential employers that you are a qualified professional as well. A number of Conway FL law firms will only employ entry level paralegals that are graduates of an accredited school. Finally, financial assistance and student loans are often accessible only for accredited programs.
What's the School's Reputation? Find out what the rankings and reputations are for the paralegal programs you are looking at. This is of particular importance if you are entering the field with no prior work history, since employers will need to rely on the quality of your training exclusively. Checking that the school you choose is accredited is an excellent first step. Checking school rating reports can help determine school rankings and quality of education as well. You can also call a few Conway FL law firms that you may be interested in working for after graduating and ask what schools they recommend. Remember that even though a school is not among the most highly rated, its paralegal program could still have an excellent reputation.
Does the Program Sponsor Internships? Internship programs provide students an opportunity to experience working in a law office or other legal enterprise while attending school. They can also present a pathway for students to start creating contacts within the Conway FL legal community. Find out if the paralegal schools you are assessing provide internship programs, especially in areas of the law that you have the most interest in entering after graduation.
Is Job Placement Assistance available? You will probably want to hit the ground running after graduating, but finding that first job in a new field can be difficult without help. Find out if the paralegal schools you are reviewing have job placement programs and what their success rates are. Rapid and high placement rates are an excellent sign that the schools have large networks and great relationships with Florida legal services employers. It also corroborates that their graduates are highly regarded and in demand.
Where is the School's Location? Considering that laws differ from state to state, it may be a good idea to enroll in a paralegal school domiciled in Florida or the state where you wish to work after graduation. Also, it will be necessary to build relationships in the neighboring legal community, possibly by means of an internship program. This is even more reason to receive your education in the area where you choose to practice. Also, if you go to classes at a community college, most charge a higher tuition for students that live outside of their districts. So you may need to initially investigate those colleges that are within the Conway FL region.
How Much is the Total Cost? Paralegal schools can vary in cost depending on the credential obtained and the length of training furnished. 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 might be accessible to help minimize part of the expense, so be sure to check with the school's financial aid department to see what is offered in Conway FL. Of course if you choose to attend an online program, a portion these additional costs, such as for commuting, may be reduced or eliminated.
Do the Classes Fit your Schedule? Numerous paralegal students keep working while receiving their training and must have flexibility in class scheduling. If you can solely attend night or weekend classes near Conway FL, make sure classes are available at those times. Also, if you can only attend on a part time basis, confirm that the school you choose offers that option. Finally, inquire what the protocol is for making up classes missed as a result of sickness, work or family emergencies.
Learn More About How to Become a Paralegal in Conway
Enroll in the Right Conway Paralegal Studies School
Selecting the ideal paralegal degree school is a vital first step to guarantee your success in the gratifying field of law. As we have covered 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 Conway home. Paralegal education programs are provided in various formats and lengths. Different kinds of public and private institutions offer paralegal education, including community colleges, four year colleges and universities, as well as vocational and trade schools. Your selection of a paralegal program will have a pronounced influence on your opportunities for success in your new profession. Given that there is a broad range in the quality of programs, choose carefully. Afford yourself the greatest possible chance to succeed in this fascinating profession. But regardless of how you decide to obtain your training and earn your certificate or degree, by asking the questions that we have provided you will be able to assess each program and make your ultimate decision. And with the right training you can achieve your career goal to become a successful paralegal in Conway Florida.