Paralegal School - He Who Sows Virtue Reaps Fame

01.06.10 |

Paralegals are served by a handful of organizations with two of best being, NALA (the National Association of Legal Assistants) and NFPA (the National Federation of Paralegal Associations). While both aim to serve their members best interests, they are in strange ways competitors. They compete to guide the shape and language of the profession. For example; NALA prefers to call members legal assistant while NFPA prefers paralegal.

Essential yardsticks to bear in mind when looking at any paralegal program:

1. Paralegal degree courses must teach hands-on applicable job skills in addition to bottom-line legal theory. The curriculum should also emphasize legal writing, torts, legal contracts and research and legal ethics. Paralegal schools should advance a students’ discriminating thinking capacity along with communication, organizational skills and an aptitude to correctly handle ethical issues. An opportunity to gain real-world experience before graduation through internships or clinical experience is also important.

2. Real world experience and unquestionable scholastic credentials are key character traits any high quality paralegal program director will possess. They must also have the desire to take “their” paralegal schools program to the highest level and the curriculum must be spot on for today’s paralegal work environment. Similarly, the teaching staff must possess both the field experience and the scholastic background to be considered “experts” in their classrooms.

3. Are you searching for a conventional college campus learning environment or does online training appeal to you? Online paralegal programs have become more and more popular among paralegal schools but if you’ve never taken an online paralegal school class you need to ask yourself if online learning is right for you. Moreover, it’s imperative that you find out (before you enroll) what type of online training will be use. Will it consist primarily of web-based content or interactive video or both or something else? How much interplay will there be between you and the instructors and do you have the self-discipline and motivation to attend all the lectures and do all the assignments on you own?

As the old saying goes, “if you want more than just a job and you have what it takes” then in today’s uncertain economy a career in law as a paralegal, is about as good as opportunities get. Undoubtedly, opportunity knocks for those that have the required drive and training. So if you’ve been sitting on the fence; the time is now, jump down and go get your paralegal degree.