Distance Education for Paralegals

by Joe Bella

One of the most popular degrees being sought after in today’s world is for paralegal studies. Paralegals are in high demand as more and more attorneys are seeking out persons trained in today’s technology and how it applies in the legal field.

Due to the rapid growth for paralegal degrees, many educational institutions have begun to offer paralegal degrees online.

This is a huge bonus for those that could not previously afford continuing their education at a traditional facility. By providing paralegal courses online, many colleges and universities have opened doors to people that have had to take care of their families or hold down full time jobs. Online studies have so much more flexibility as to when you can attend class, generally courses and lectures are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
So you have chosen to pursue a career as a paralegal; that is fantastic. Now the hard part is choosing the right online school for you.

There are many institutions that offer paralegal courses, but the most careful consideration you need to focus on is whether or not the institution is accredited or not. Accreditation refers to an institution that has met a standard or certain criterion; in this case the department of education sets forth those standards. We have listed a few that are popularly chosen for paralegal degrees among other degrees. Simply press control and click on any link to view or obtain more information:

• University of Phoenix
• Walden University
• Capella University
• Western Governors University
• University of Phoenix Online International
• Virginia College Online

Once again, the above is just a small representation of the totality of schools that offer paralegal degrees.
Being able to attend paralegal studies online often cost far less than a traditional learning setting. Many online colleges and universities offer a flat tuition fee that includes any books, software, or other materials needed for their courses. Aside from the occasional application or enrollment fee, there are no other hidden or unexpected fees that come up.

Attorneys often prefer students who have studied online for a variety of reasons beyond being trained with the newest technology. Students who have achieved their degrees online possess skills beyond those that are taught. Online students have greater self-discipline, are better self-starters, have good time management skills, have the capability to multitask, as well as having the ability to work independently without much supervision which is crucial for many law firms.

Many online schools offer an Associate’s degree for paralegal studies. This is a great way to get an introduction into the legal field. Other online schools offer a Bachelor’s degree. These offer a more intensive course curriculum as well as a longer commitment, up to four years.

Whether you choose an Associate’s degree or a Bachelor’s degree, you can be assured that by choosing an accredited school you will have the proper training to be able to obtain a position with a law firm and be able to effectively perform the duties required of you.

About the Author
Learn what internet education options are yours at: http://www.highereducationonline101.com Higher Education Online.

A Look at Paralegal Training

by Kent Pinkerton

A paralegal assists lawyers, corporations, or government agencies that must work with the law. Most of the time, paralegals help lawyers to keep afloat of the mounds of paperwork needed in law.

They organize, index, photocopy, and run errands. They may also interview witnesses, draft legal documents, or conduct hearings. The tasks of the paralegal depends a large part on what type a paralegal he is, and the amount of training he has received.

The National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) recommends that all entry-level paralegals have a four-year bachelor’s degree. Though only about 50 percent of the working paralegals in 2001 had a bachelor’s degree, it is quickly becoming standard for hiring paralegals. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the paralegal field is growing faster than most. Extra training can help guarantee a job in this rapidly growing field.

NFPA recommends a formal paralegal training program after a potential paralegal earns a bachelor’s degree. The organization provides a directory of accredited programs, for a small fee, through its Web site, and recommends at least 24 semester hours dedicated to legal studies. Online programs also offer additional paralegal training, including emphasizing critical thinking skills, improving communication skills, understanding law procedures and rules, honing legal writing abilities, and practicing interpersonal skills for working with clients, witnesses, other professionals, or the public. The NFPA urges paralegals to critically evaluate all correspondence or online courses, making sure the program provides an adequate, professionally recognized education. Check, for example, that the program is approved by the American Bar Association.

Most colleges and universities offer paralegal certification program, and Kaplan Education Paralegal Programs has training courses in 11 states. Also, the American Institute for Paralegal Studies is one of the oldest paralegal training programs in the country.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Paralegals provides detailed information about paralegal jobs, schools, training, courses, certificates, and services. For more information go to Paralegals and/or visit its sister site at Notary Public Web for related information.

Paralegals And Secretaries – An Exploration Of Earnings

by Laura McDonald

Income for paralegals and legal assistants varies, depending on education and training, work experience, geographic location, and the employer by size and type. Typically, paralegals working for large metropolitan law firms earn more in salary and benefits.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor in May 2004, “full-time wage and salary paralegals and legal assistants had median annual earnings, including bonuses, of $39,130. The middle 50 percent earned between $31,040 and $49,950. The top 10 percent earned more than $61,390, while the bottom 10 percent earned less than $25,360.” In addition to their salary, many paralegals receive bonuses. It is unclear whether bonus reporting was included in the statistics; if not, those earnings would rise even higher.

Continuing with the Department of Labor statistics: “Median annual earnings of legal secretaries were $36,720 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $29,070 and $46,390. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $23,270, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $56,590.”

Thus, by comparison, paralegals have greater opportunity to earn a higher salary than legal secretaries.

Do legal secretaries earn approximately the same as other types of secretaries? No, it is higher. Referring back to Department of Labor compilations: “Medical secretaries earned a median annual salary of $26,540 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $21,980 and $32,690. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $19,140, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $39,140. Median annual earnings of secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive, were $26,110 in May 2004.”

Let’s compare the median annual salaries.

Paralegals - $31,040 to $49,950

Legal Secretaries - $29,070 to $46,390

Medical Secretaries - $21,980 to $32,690

Secretaries (Except Legal, Medical and Executive) - $26,110

Which type of position is more attractive based on salary?

It is highly advisable for young people to earn college educations. Competition for jobs is fierce, and particularly with current technological advances, higher education is just plain required to land career jobs. Players in the game of Life who go straight to work rather than the college route, in reality, may wind up with dead-end jobs and victims of the saying, “he worked until the day he died.”

With paralegal salaries registering at a higher rung than the other office positions, it is reasonable that legal assistants would more than likely require the most education and training. Employers hiring any of the above positions may consider candidates with general course work, but specialized training would naturally be given greater consideration. Specialized training suggests a new hire will pick up the work ball already running. This may also be less costly to the employer during in-house training.

Explore your opportunities for higher education, and consider a career as a paralegal. Salaries are good. The work is interesting. With advancement potential, a paralegal career is an excellent choice. Is it the right one for you?

About the Author
Are you fascinated by trials? Do you like helping people? A career as a Paralegal is challenging, rewarding, and NEVER boring. Sign up for free newsletters that show you how to step into this exciting career. Adventures await you.... http://www.paralegalsecretary.bravehost.com Laura McDonald is a paralegal. She is a member of NFPA (National Federation of Paralegal Associations). Laura is experienced in the areas of personal injury, civil litigation, family, environmental and corporate law, estate planning and bankruptcy. She works for Michael L. Hawkins & Associates, P.L.L.C., located in Frankfort, Kentucky. The firm's website is http://www.mlhlawky.com

Paralegal Schools

by Peter St-Germain

Paralegal Schools offer many options to help you get formally trained as a professional paralegal.

Typically a paralegal school will offer an Associate's Degree Program or a Certificate Program. Also you may find some paralegal schools that offer a Bachelor Degree or a Master Degree.

The Associate's Degree will take around 2 years of study, the Certificate will only need a few months, while the Bachelor's or Master's degrees will require 4 years.

As a whole the job market now require some shape of formal training and diploma. Gone are the days where only some typing skills and a clean pair of shoes assured you a job.

In order to qualify for a Paralegal Certificate you need an Associate or a Bachelor's degree, but some schools require only a high school diploma or a GED.

Also you may want to consider online paralegal schools. The online courses offer many advantages like schedule flexibility and reduced costs. Each course completed is credited towards the degree. A great advantage of online schools is that many will let you pay each course individually...

You may have already discovered that paralegal schools and online paralegal schools are very abundant to say the least. So I recommend that you take a special approach to select your own school and training. If you plan to study in a formal classroom versus an online paralegal school then obviously the physical location of the schools will help narrow the search, because you may prefer an institution that is close to your home. This step being taken I recommend that you analyze the current job market listings and that you note the training requirements for paralegal or legal assistants hiring. This will greatly help you select the amongst the school offerings and will almost guarantee you a strong position on your future job market.

Many job listings will ask for a Bachelor's Degree and/or a Certificate and specialized experience and many Junior Paralegal jobs will require training and some general experience.

Note that most paralegal schools will help you get the required base of experience thru internships or externships with various field experience and hands-on training. Also in the case of a career change, a good portion of your actual experience may apply to one of the many specializations of this field. In most cases only a couple years of related experience will be required.

So if you plan a career change or if you want to qualify for an interesting career you may find that Paralegal Schools are the fast track to a really decent salary (40K to over 100K is the norm) and some neat extras like bonuses and a fair amount of independence on the job.

About the Author
Peter St-Germain offers you tips and articles about paralegal schools. Discover his website at: Paralegal Schools