Paralegal Studies Degree
How to Enroll in the Best One Near Ormond Beach Florida
Congratulations on your decision to enroll in paralegal studies near Ormond Beach FL and start your journey that will result in a fulfilling career in legal services. But in order to assure your success, it’s crucial that you find the right school so that you will get the extensive training that you need. A growing number of academic alternatives are being offered in the legal field, both at school and online, because of the increasing popularity of law related professions within the United States. But just how do you go about finding the right school with so many options? A number of potential students begin by searching for schools within commuting range of their homes. Of those options, they try to find the program with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important considerations when choosing a school, they are not the only factors you need to take into consideration. Things such as the reputation and accreditation of the school need to be taken into consideration as well. We will discuss those issues and other vital questions that you must ask the paralegal schools you are researching later in this article. But first, let's take a look at what a paralegal does and the educational options that are offered to earn either a paralegal certificate or degree.
Paralegals Compared to Legal Assistants
Legal assistants and paralegals essentially both hold comparable job roles and responsibilities, only with different titles. On the other hand, legal secretaries are not the equivalent of either of those two positions and belong to a different job category. Both legal assistants and paralegals assist Ormond Beach FL attorneys with a wide variety of job functions, such as legal research, maintaining client files, drafting legal documents and communicating with clients. Their particular job duties are relevant to the type of practice where they are employed. As an example, a legal assistant for a criminal law firm could assist with trial logistics or transporting files to court. In private practices, a paralegal's work is usually billed by the hour as are the lawyer's. And the same as attorneys, they must perform with a high degree of professionalism and adhere to a strict code of professional ethics. As stated, their duties can be wide ranging in support of the practices where they work, but a few of their everyday activities may include:
- Investigating and fact checking cases
- Researching applicable laws and cases
- Drafting correspondence and legal papers
- Filing legal documents with the court or opposing counsel
- Helping attorneys prepare for trial and stay organized with their cases
- Organizing and maintaining legal documents, files and other records
With all of their responsibilities, the role of a paralegal can be complicated and rather demanding. On the other hand, what they are not legally permitted to do is provide legal advice and counsel or represent a client in a legal action. But paralegals are not limited to clerical or administrative duties more applicable 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, lawyers are able to manage a much larger number of clients or cases than they could otherwise.
Paralegal Education and Certification
As we discussed earlier, paralegals are actually the same as legal assistants, with paralegals arguably having more professional sounding job titles. As a result, for either position the academic prerequisites and opportunities will be the same. The fastest means to start your career as a paralegal in Ormond Beach FL is by obtaining a certificate, which can take as little as six months to complete. Many entry level positions do call for an Associate's Degree, which offer a more extensive education and may be earned at many community colleges in two years. For an even more comprehensive education, four year Bachelor's Degrees are offered as well. Once you have earned either a certificate or degree, you may choose to proceed and receive a certification. Although it is not a mandatory requirement in Florida to practice as a paralegal, certification can not only help increase your job opportunities, but help establish you as a professional as well. Some of the highly regarded 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 certificate or degree from an accredited school (we will address the advantages of accreditation later) and earning a certification, you will have taken two essential initial steps that will help guarantee your success as either a paralegal or a legal assistant.
Paralegal and Legal Assistant Online Degrees
Legal assistant and paralegal online schools have become more available and may be an excellent option for individuals living in Ormond Beach FL looking for convenient access to classes and accommodating scheduling. Online schools can be especially attractive to students who keep working while obtaining a certificate or degree. As an added benefit, online classes can sometimes be less costly than on campus options. Even ancillary expenses for such things as study materials or commuting may be minimized or eliminated. One caveat, not all online schools 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 looking into are accredited by a respected organization, for example the American Bar Association. But if you are disciplined enough to study in a less supervised and conventional setting, then obtaining your certificate or degree online might be the ideal option for you.
What to Ask Paralegal Degree Programs
Since you now you have a better understanding regarding what paralegals do and what training options are offered, you can start the undertaking of assessing schools. But since there are numerous programs accessible at community and junior colleges in the Ormond Beach FL area, in addition to vocational and trade schools, you need to learn what questions to ask in order to evaluate each one. This is especially true if you include all of the online paralegal degree and certificate programs as well. If you are like the majority of potential students, you will begin by searching for schools within commuting distance and then comparing their tuition. But as we have already covered, there are other critical aspects to consider as well, including the reputation and accreditation of the schools. So let's go over some of the questions you need to be asking the schools you are investigating so that you can thoroughly vet each one and make your ultimate decision.
Is the Paralegal School Accredited? The paralegal program and school that you enroll in need to be accredited by a highly regarded organization such as the American Bar Association. If it is an online school, it may also get accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which targets distance or online training. Accreditation will not only certify that the training you will receive will be of the highest quality, but it will demonstrate to future employers that you are a qualified professional also. Numerous Ormond Beach FL law firms will only hire entry level legal assistants that have graduated from an accredited program. Finally, financial aid and student loans are usually accessible only for accredited schools.
What's the School's Reputation? Research what the reputations and rankings are for the paralegal programs you are looking at. This is of special importance if you are new to the profession with no prior experience, since employers will have to rely on the quality of your education exclusively. Confirming that the school you choose is accredited is a good first step. Reviewing school rating reports can help verify school rankings and quality of education as well. You can also call some Ormond Beach FL law practices that you may have an interest in working for after graduation and ask what schools they recommend. Keep in mind that even when a school is not among the most highly ranked, its paralegal program may still have an outstanding reputation.
Does the School Provide Internships? Internship programs provide students an opportunity to experience working in a law firm or other legal establishment while remaining in school. They can also present an avenue for students to start creating contacts within the Ormond Beach FL legal community. Find out if the paralegal schools you are assessing provide internship programs, specifically in areas of the law that you are most interested in pursuing after graduation.
Is Job Placement Assistance offered? You will most likely wish to secure employment quickly after graduating, but getting that first job in a new profession can be difficult without support. Find out if the paralegal programs you are interviewing 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 well regarded and sought after.
Where is the School Located? Because laws vary from one state to another, it might be a good idea to enroll in a paralegal school located in Florida or the state where you want to practice after graduating. Also, it will be valuable to develop relationships in the area legal community, perhaps by means of an internship program. This is even more justification to receive your education in the community where you desire to practice. Also, if you attend classes at a community college, most charge a higher tuition for students that reside outside of their districts. So you might want to initially look at those colleges that are within the Ormond Beach FL area.
What is the Entire Expense? Paralegal schools can differ in cost depending on the credential obtained and the length of training provided. Having said that, tuition will not be the only expenditure for your training. Don't forget to add the cost of books, supplies and commuting to classes to your budget as well. Financial aid might be available to help offset some of the expense, so be sure to talk to the school's financial aid office to find out what is offered in Ormond Beach FL. Needless to say that if you decide to attend an online school, a portion these added expenses, for instance for commuting, might be reduced or eliminated.
Do the Classes Accommodate your Schedule? Many paralegal students keep working while getting their training and need flexibility to schedule classes. If you can just attend weekend or evening classes near Ormond Beach FL, verify classes are offered at those times. Also, if you can only attend on a part time basis, make certain that the school you enroll in makes available that option. Finally, find out what the protocol is for making up missed classes as a result of work, illness or family obligations.
Learn More About Becoming a Paralegal in Ormond Beach
Enroll in the Best Ormond Beach Paralegal Studies School
Choosing the best paralegal studies training program is an important first step toward your success in the rewarding field of law. As we have addressed in this post, you have the option of attending classes at school or you can attend them online in the comfort and privacy of your Ormond Beach residence. Paralegal education programs are offered in various lengths and formats. Several types of private and public institutions provide paralegal education, including junior and community colleges, four-year colleges and universities, in addition to trade and vocational schools. Your selection of a paralegal school will have a pronounced impact on your prospects for success in your new career. Given that there is a wide range in the quality of schools, pick carefully. Give yourself the greatest possible opportunity to be successful in this rewarding 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 ultimate decision. And with the appropriate training you can achieve your career objective to become a practicing paralegal in Ormond Beach Florida.
Ormond Beach Paralegal Programs | Ormond Beach Paralegal Certificate Programs