subject: Why Take Up Paralegal Studies? [print this page] The paralegal profession has been making a splash in the industry these days. Not many people can afford to study law, so many of them take up paralegal studies instead. Being a paralegal offers opportunities like no other. There are different schools and institutions that offer paralegal course. There are also on-the-job trainings that make sure you know everything you need to know about assisting a legal profession. It offers competitive salary and an easy enough schedule to manage. It is also easier to find a paralegal opening in job markets, so thats another reason to take the course up.
Education and training
There is quite a difference with the regulations for paralegals under the United States and the United Kingdom governments. In the United States, you can work as a paralegal even if you are not licensed or certificated in some states (although there are some states that require certification and licensure). There is no exact education training required of a paralegal in the United States. In fact, some are even graduate of different courses while some are just undergraduates. Some paralegals even have completed their master'sdegree already before they decided to enter the field.
Also, a number of paralegal studies have cropped up in many firms and institutions. These trainings will allow those who want to work as paralegals to have a better grasp of the legal industry. To fulfill the requirement of some states and cities, some paralegals decided to take Continuing Legal Education credits, which will allow them to fulfill the requirements of their company, state, firm or institution.
Opportunities open for paralegals
The most important thing to remember about a paralegals job is that he/she needs to work under the supervision of a licensed attorney. A paralegal cannot work without being supervised by a lawyer. His/Her primary job is to carry out the tasks from a lawyers analysis of a particular case.
Paralegals in the United States work just about anywherein criminal trials, in corporations, in government agencies and even in estate planning. They can also work with non-profit organizations to help lawyers in their job to fight for different causes. However, where they work and where they are accepted depends largely on their training in paralegal studies and their experiences working in private firms or government offices.
Domestic and foreign issues are handled by lawyers and those in the legal profession. There was a time when lawyers only need secretaries, but that time is up. Today, lawyers require the help of paralegals to file cases for them and basically assist them in whatever logistical and legal aid they need. That is why the paralegal profession has been a hit these days, and why many people are deciding to take it up
