Surprisingly, but after nearly 5 decades the paralegal profession still has no certification requirements. Although not required, certification does offer a competitive advantage to those that have the credentials behind their name. It helps primarily when it comes to securing a job and for that reason and because a high percentage of paralegals coming into the field today are graduates from some either a community college or university; a good percentage of graduates are taking the time to pass one of the many readily available certification tests, shortly after graduation.
Pivotal criteria to remember when examining the caliber of any paralegal program:
1. Paralegal courses should teach usable job skills along with the underlying legal theory. The paralegal schools curriculum should also cover torts, contracts, legal writing and legal research, ethics and litigation. Paralegal courses should be geared towards developing students’ communication skills, their critical thinking and their skill set in dealing with ethical issues. Paralegal degree programs should also include a way to gain experience such as an internship, clinical experience or practicum.
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 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.
Visit www.totalparalegal.com for more information on a paralegal career.
