Paralegal Schools - He Who Sows Virtue Reaps Fame
Tuesday, January 5th, 2010What’s the old saying, “the only thing that’s constant is change” but in the world of the paralegal there is one small caveat to that old adage when it comes to certification. Like most professions, changes in technology, rules and regulations have dictated rather dramatic changes in how an individual is trained and that holds true for paralegals. However, the requirement to become certified has remained unchanged; which means there is no certification requirement. Of course, a good percentage of fresh faced paralegal school trained graduates do take one of the many certification tests available shortly after graduation but the fact remains it’s still not required.
Important aspects to keep in mind when analyzing a paralegal program:
1. Paralegal degree programs need to teach both legal concepts and theory alongside usable, hands-on job skills. A solid paralegal school curriculum should also stress a wide range of topics from legal contracts and litigation to legal writing, legal research, torts and ethics. The really exceptional paralegal schools will focus on the entire development of their students’ by refining and honing their critical thinking abilities and by offering them the opportunity to gain valuable real-world experience through and internship or practicum.
2. You’ve done some research and narrowed your “possibilities” down to a few paralegal schools. Now you need to ask yourself a few questions. Are the teachers any good? Is the curriculum applicable in today’s legal arena? Good questions and here are a few answers. Look for the program director to have a law degree and a solid track record of experience working as an educator or trainer in the legal field. Find out if the instructors are paralegals with real-world work experience who really know their stuff and with impeccable educational credentials.
3. Is the tried and true campus classroom learning model best for you or is the so-called “modern” online training environment a better fit? An essential question that needs to be answered before you take the plunge and decide to pursue your paralegal degree via the online learning model. Another key question includes how you’ll receive the training. Will it be through web based courses or telecourses or interactive video or something else? Furthermore, one of the most important questions is very simple, “Can you learn online?”
Unquestionably, exploring a paralegal career isn’t for every Tom, Dick or Harry or Sally or Susie for that matter but for those individuals that yearn to dip their toe into the field of law, and still enjoy the status and professional satisfaction of a law career without having to attend law school for 4 years, then becoming a paralegal is your ticket.