Paralegal Studies Certificate
How to Find the Right One Near College Park Georgia
Congratulations on your decision to enroll in a paralegal school near College Park GA and start your journey that will result in a rewarding career in legal services. But in order to assure your success, it’s important that you locate the right school so that you will get the extensive training that you need. As you most likely understand, the legal field is one of the fastest growing occupations in the United States, and increasingly more academic choices are becoming available, both at school and online. But just how do you approach finding the right school with numerous alternatives? Many potential students start by trying to find schools within commuting range of their homes. Of those options, they try to find the program with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are very important considerations when picking a school, they are not the only factors you should consider. Things such as accreditation and the reputation of the program need to be taken into account also. Later on in this article we will review a list of concerns that you ought to ask potential paralegal schools so that you can examine and compare every one before making your choice. But first, let's take a look at what a paralegal does and the instructional choices that are offered to earn either a paralegal certificate or degree.
Paralegals Compared to Legal Assistants
Paralegals and legal assistants basically both fill 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 separate job classification. Both legal assistants and paralegals assist College Park GA lawyers with a diverse array of job functions, 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. For example, a legal assistant for a criminal law firm may help with the logistics of a trial or delivering files to court. In private practices, a paralegal's work is usually billed hourly as are the attorney's. And the same as attorneys, they must perform with a high level of professionalism and abide by a strict code of professional ethics. As stated, their duties can be varied in support of the practices where they work, but some of their daily tasks can include:
- Researching and fact checking cases
- Conducting research on related laws and cases
- Drafting correspondence and legal papers
- Filing legal papers with the court or opposing counsel
- Assisting lawyers get ready for trial and stay organized with their cases
- Organizing and managing legal documents, files and additional records
With all of their duties, the job of a paralegal can be complicated and rather demanding. However, what they are not legally allowed to do is give legal counsel and advice or represent a client in a legal action. But paralegals are not restricted to clerical or administrative functions more applicable to the job of a legal secretary. Legal assistants 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 handle 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 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 means to start your career as a paralegal in College Park GA is by obtaining a certificate, which may take just 6 months to complete. A large number of entry level positions do call for an Associate's Degree, which offer a more comprehensive education and can be earned at numerous community colleges in two years. And if you are interested in an even more comprehensive education, 4 year Bachelor's Degrees are offered as well. After you have earned either a degree or a certificate, you might want to continue and obtain a certification. Although it is not a legal requirement in Georgia to practice as a paralegal, certification can not only help boost your career opportunities, but help establish you as a professional also. A few 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 discuss the benefits of accreditation later) and earning a certification, you will have taken 2 essential initial steps that will help ensure your success as either a legal assistant or a paralegal.
Online Legal Assistant and Paralegal Schools
Online paralegal or legal assistant programs have become more available and may be a good option for individuals living in College Park GA searching for convenient access to classes and accommodating scheduling. Online programs can be particularly attractive to individuals who keep working while obtaining a degree. As an additional advantage, online schools can often be less expensive than more traditional options. Even ancillary expenses for such items as commuting or study materials may be minimized or eliminated. One caveat, not all online programs are accredited, which we will address in more detail later. But at the very least accreditation helps guarantee that the training you obtain is of the highest quality. 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 study in a less structured and formal environment, then earning your certificate or degree online might be the right choice for you.
Things to Ask Paralegal Studies Programs
Once you have a better understanding about what paralegals do and what academic choices are offered, you can start the undertaking of assessing schools. But because there are numerous programs offered at community and junior colleges in the College Park GA area, in addition to vocational and trade schools, you need to find out what questions to ask in order to compare each one. This is particularly true if you include all of the online paralegal degree and certificate programs also. If you are like most prospective students, you will begin by searching for schools within commuting distance and then comparing their tuition. But as we have already discussed, there are other crucial issues to think about as well, for instance the reputation and accreditation of the schools. So let's go over several of the questions you should be asking the programs you are investigating so that you can thoroughly vet each one and make your final selection.
Is the Paralegal School and Program Accredited? The paralegal program and school that you pick should be accredited by a reputable accrediting agency such as the American Bar Association. If it is an online school, it might also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which targets online or distance learning. Accreditation will not only certify that the training you will receive will be of the highest standard, but it will show future employers that you are a qualified professional also. Many College Park GA law firms will only hire entry level paralegals that have graduated from an accredited program. Finally, financial aid and student loans are typically accessible only for accredited schools.
What's the Program's Reputation? Find out what the reputations and rankings are for the paralegal programs you are contemplating. This is of special importance if you are entering the profession with no previous work history, since employers will have to make a decision based on the quality of your training exclusively. Confirming that the school you pick is accredited is an excellent first step. Reviewing school rating reports can help verify school quality of education and rankings as well. You can also contact a few College Park GA law practices that you may be interested in working for after graduation and ask which schools they recommend. Keep in mind that even when a school is not among the most highly ranked, its paralegal program could still have an outstanding reputation.
Does the Program Offer Internships? Internship programs provide students an opportunity to experience working in a law firm or other legal enterprise while remaining in school. They can also present an avenue for students to start creating contacts within the College Park GA legal community. Find out if the paralegal schools you are evaluating offer internship programs, specifically in areas of the law that you are most interested in pursuing after graduation.
Is Job Placement Assistance provided? You will most likely want to secure employment quickly after graduation, but getting that first job in a new field can be challenging without assistance. Find out 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 indication that the schools have sizable networks and great relationships with Georgia legal services employers. It also substantiates that their students are well regarded and in demand.
Where is the Campus Located? Since laws differ from one state to another, it might be a good idea to choose a paralegal school located in Georgia or the state where you wish to work after graduation. In addition, it will be necessary to develop relationships in the area legal community, perhaps through an internship program. This is all the more reason to acquire your education in the area where you wish to practice. Also, if you attend classes at a community college, many charge a higher tuition for students that reside outside of their districts. So you may need to first consider those schools that are within the College Park GA region.
How Much is the Entire Cost? Paralegal programs can vary in cost depending on the credential obtained and the length of training furnished. However, tuition will not be the only cost for your education. Don't forget to include the cost of books, supplies and commuting to classes to your budget also. Financial aid may be obtainable to help minimize part of the cost, so don't forget to talk to the school's financial aid office to see what is offered in College Park GA. Needless to say that if you decide to attend an online school, a portion these additional expenses, for instance for commuting, may be decreased or eliminated.
Do the Classes Match your Schedule? Many paralegal students continue working while receiving their training and require flexibility to schedule classes. If you can solely attend night or weekend classes near College Park GA, verify classes are offered at those times. Also, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm that the school you enroll in provides that option. Finally, ask what the process is for making up missed classes as a result of sickness, work or family emergencies.
Find Out More About Becoming a Legal Assistant in College Park
Enroll in the Best College Park Paralegal Studies Program
Selecting the right paralegal studies degree program is an important first step to guarantee your success in the rewarding field of law. As we have discussed in this post, you have the choice of attending classes at school or you can participate online in the comfort and privacy of your College Park home. Paralegal education programs are offered in various lengths and formats. Several types of public and private institutions offer paralegal education, including junior and community colleges, four year universities and colleges, as well as vocational and trade schools. Your selection of a paralegal program will have a profound impact on your opportunities for success in your new profession. Considering that there is a wide range in the quality of schools, pick carefully. Afford yourself the greatest possible opportunity to succeed in this rewarding profession. But no matter how you elect to acquire your training and earn your degree or certificate, by asking the questions that we have provided you will be able to examine each program and make your final decision. And with the ideal education you can realize your career objective to become a practicing paralegal in College Park Georgia.
College Park Paralegal Training | College Park How To Become A Paralegal