Paralegal Education and Certification
Paralegals are essentially the same as legal assistants, with paralegals perhaps having more professional sounding job titles. In any case, for either position the educational requirements and job prospects will be the same. The fastest means to launch your career as a paralegal in Georgia is by obtaining a certificate, which can involve just six months to complete. Many entry level positions do call for an Associate's Degree, which provide a more expansive education and may be earned at many community colleges in 2 years. For an even more extensive education, 4 year Bachelor's Degrees are an option also. When you have acquired either a degree or a certificate, you might want to proceed and receive a certification. Even though it is not a legal requirement in Georgia to practice as a paralegal, certification can not only help maximize your job opportunities, but help establish you as a professional also. 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 program (we will cover the benefits of accreditation later) and obtaining a certification, you will have taken two crucial initial steps that will help ensure your success as either a paralegal or a legal assistant.
Online Paralegal and Legal Assistant Degrees
Legal assistant and paralegal online programs have become more common and can be an excellent option for students living in Georgia looking for convenient access to classes as well as flexible scheduling. Online schools can be particularly attractive to those who keep working while obtaining a certificate or degree. As an additional advantage, online classes can sometimes be less expensive than more traditional options. Even supplementary expenditures for such items as commuting or study materials can be minimized or eliminated. One caution, not all internet programs are accredited, which we will discuss in greater detail later. But at the very least accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive is of the highest quality. So check to make sure that the school and program you are considering are accredited by a highly regarded organization, for instance the American Bar Association. But if you are dedicated enough to study in a less structured and formal setting, then earning your certificate or degree online might be the right option for you.