Law & Paralegal School Questions

The skills required to be an effective law professional vary depending on the particular job or function performed by the professional. Legal Secretaries, for example, need to be very organized, as they are often responsible for keeping a schedule, sorting paperwork, and keeping case files easily accessible. General secretarial skills are also important for a legal secretary. These include typing, filing and experience using computer programs such as Microsoft Word and Outlook. Familiarity with accounting and billing might also come in handy, especially in a smaller office.

Paralegals and Legal Assistants should be organized and efficient researchers, capable of interviewing people in a kind and courteous manner. They should also know how to analyze possible evidence quickly, identifying that which is most relevant to the case at hand so that the lawyer doesn't have to spend his or her time looking at irrelevant information. Often, litigation support personnel are specialized in a field particularly relevant to the case. A paralegal with training in medicine, for example, might provide litigation support in a personal injury case.

Lawyers should be skilled in logic, rhetoric, and other tools used to convince juries and judges of the merits of a client's case. It might also help to be competitive, as law school and the larger law firms can be cutthroat.

There are, of course, some skills that are important to all law professionals. Having at least a working knowledge of the law is vital to being an efficient law professional, as everything you do will be aided by this knowledge. Law professionals of all stripes should have very good communication skills, both written and verbal, because they are expected to interact with clients, judicial officials, and fellow workers on a regular basis.

Top 5 Law Related Professions

• Lawyer - As the practice of law revolves around the lawyers, it shouldn't be all that surprising that this profession is at the top of our list. With 761,000 practicing lawyers in the United States alone - and plenty more who burnt out - it is one of the most popular post-undergrad career paths.
• Legal Secretary- Legal secretaries fulfill many of the same duties as regular secretaries. However, because the nation's 275,000 legal secretaries work for lawyers, they should have particular skills and knowledge relating to the practice of a lawyer. Instead of drafting business contracts, for example, legal secretaries draft summonses and other court documents.
• Paralegal/Legal Assistant - Lawyers tend to be busy people. Paralegals and legal assistants, of which there are 238,000 in the U.S., are specially trained to help lawyers do research, fact-check sources, or prepare for hearings, trials, and closings. While they usually have at least an Paralegal Associate's degree, some law offices train their own paralegals.
• Judge/Magistrate - Judges, magistrates, hearing officers, mediators, and others help oversee our legal system by applying the law and overseeing legal proceedings. Nearly all 51,000 people in these positions are trained and practiced lawyers. In some places, judges are selected by local or national government, while others are picked in local elections.
• Law Clerk - Although people do not usually make this a career, becoming a law clerk gives lawyers vital experience for their future practices by attending judicial proceedings, performing legal research, and providing other assistance to a judge. Due to the temporary nature of this position (clerks are usually appointed for 1-2 year terms), it is difficult to know how many are working at any given time.

No. Paralegals may earn a Paralegal Certification, Paralegal Associates, Paralegal Bachelors or another type of Bachelors as part of their training before working as a paralegal, and many employers require some sort of paralegal training. However, there are employers who opt to train their paralegals on the job. While a few states are beginning to regulate paralegals like they do lawyers, most states have no specific paralegal certification or degree requirements for becoming a paralegal. No matter what your level of formal education, paralegals should have a knack for research, a good understanding of the law, and excellent verbal and written communication skills.

If you choose to earn a paralegal degree, there are nearly 1,000 paralegal training programs in the United States to choose from. Programs may offer accredited paralegal certification to students who already hold a college degree, an associates degrees, bachelor's degree or master's degree. If possible, it is best to attend one of the 260 paralegal programs approved by American Bar Association because these programs tend to carry more weight with employers.

What is the difference between a paralegal a legal office administrator?

Legal office administrators perform work similar to regular office administration. Common duties fulfilled by legal office administrators include:

• Answering phones
• Making copies
• Scheduling
• Filing

Where an assistant at a business might draft a contract or memo, legal office assistants prepare summonses, motions, subpoenas and other legal documents. Some legal office administrators are trained as accountants and maintain payroll, while larger offices hire managers to coordinate office administration. While most legal office administrators have at least a high school diploma or a GED, many land their jobs because of previous administrative experience and not necessarily college education.

Paralegals are specially trained assistants who help lawyers:

• Research legal codes
• Check facts
• Prepare for trial
• Interview witnesses
• Draft wills or deeds

However, they are legally banned from giving direct legal advice to the public or arguing in court. Though paralegals fulfill some legal office administration duties, they require paralegal training specific to their role as assistants to lawyers on legal matters. Many legal office administrators find their experience helps them become paralegals. Some paralegals receive on the job training, and many begin as legal office administrators. Most paralegals, however, have college-level training and have either received an Paralegal Associates or Paralegal Bachelor's degree, or have completed a paralegal certification program in addition to a Bachelor's degree in a seperate subject.

There are times, especially in smaller law offices, where the lines blur between paralegals and legal office administrators, where individuals must wear different hats. A legal office administrator might research a law or draft a subpoena, and a paralegal might do some billing, handle the lawyer's scheduling or answer a phone call. In the end, legal office administrators and paralegals have the same job - helping lawyers do their job.

Paralegal certificate, associates, or bachelors?

Paralegals help lawyers with all kinds of things - drafting legal papers, checking facts, researching legal president, and interviewing witnesses. To complete these jobs in a professional and proficient manner, they must:

• Have a knack for research
• A good understanding of the law
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Whether its best to pursue an Accredited Paralegal Associate's or Bachelor's degree depends on your circumstances. Why are you pursuing Paralegal Studies? Do you want to become a lawyer? Are you a good writer? Do you like school? Have you already received a college degree in another subject? Asking yourself these types of questions and answering them honestly is important when deciding what type of education to pursue. You should choose a degree that will best prepare you to work as a paralegal.

There are two types of paralegal certificates people talk about. The first are paralegal certifications offered by your state's legal organization. To earn this type of certification, paralegals must pass a written exam, usually after completing a certified Paralegal Studies program. The second type of certification is offered by schools to students who have already taken a fair amount of college courses, preferably having earned an Associate's or Bachelor's degree. Students enrolled in this type of certificate program take paralegal classes exclusively, which means it takes much less time to complete than an Associate's or Bachelor's degree program.

Completing a Paralegal Associate's degree, which typically takes two years, offers students a chance to take some classes that aren't exclusively focused on Paralegal Studies. These programs offer a balance between completing school quickly and taking more than just paralegal classes. It also gives students a greater opportunity to practice their writing and other general skills that are just as important as knowing about laws. Earning a Bachelor's degree in Paralegal Studies gives students an even greater chance to improve their general skills and learn about things that don't necessarily relate to the law. If you aspire to become a lawyer, remember that all law schools require a Bachelor's degree for admission.