Legal Assistant Training

Overview

The profession of law has been held in high esteem by the society. Even if you do not possess a degree to become a lawyer, there are quite a few degrees in law that is closely associated with that of a lawyer. The paralegal, or the legal assistant degree, is the most notable.

The common responsibilities of a legal assistant include conducting client interviews, locating and interviewing witnesses, maintaining general contact with the client, conducting investigations, and statistical and documentary research. Other duties include drafting legal documents, correspondence and pleadings, summarizing depositions, interrogatories and testimony, attending executions of wills, real estate closings, depositions, court or administrative hearings, and attending trials with the attorney.

You can pursue the paralegal degrees either as an associate or bachelor degrees. The curriculum of the paralegal degrees includes principles of accounting, introduction to law, property and probate law, commercial law, legal research and writing, civil litigation, fact investigation, legal thought, criminal law, special topics in legal studies, independent reading in legal studies, independent study, and research. Paralegal students are expected to specialize in one particular field in law. The duration of the associate degree can range around two years and the bachelor's degree takes around four years, depending on the college or university you attend.

Benefits

Job prospects are high and you can choose from varied fields such as government jobs, real estate, corporate legal departments, insurance companies, title insurance firms, and banks. The salary package for paralegals and legal assistants is about $43,040 annually on an average, including bonuses. Paralegals also receive vacation, paid sick leave, life insurance, personal paid time off, dental insurance, and reimbursement for continuing legal education. If you are working under any lawyer, billing of their work is directly sent to the client, which is also an added advantage.

Costs

The cost of paralegal studies varies greatly and depends on the college that you choose to study. The cost of an associate degree ranges around $21,700, while the bachelor degree programs may cost $10,000 to $15,000 per annum on an average. For a certification program, you may have to shell out $10,500. Most colleges offer some form of a financial aid or scholarships to help bring the costs of tuition down.

Schools

There are many colleges in the Unites States of America which offers paralegal studies. University of California, Los Angeles, Capital University Law School, and Southern Utah University are some of the colleges which offer paralegal undergraduate degrees and certifications. The degrees in paralegal studies are offered as online courses also.

Testing & Preparation

Applicants must hold either a completed high school certificate with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.3 to 3.5 and a remarkable score in American College Test (ACT). If you happen to be an international student, then you need to submit the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score. Certain colleges conduct an entrance exam to determine if the student is eligible for the program. Apart from these, you must be proficient in basic Internet skills, word processing skills, and fluent in English.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is available for students who wish to pursue paralegal studies. The Thomas West Scholarship offers scholarship for meritorious students. Federal Student Aid also provides scholarships and grants to the deserving students. Apart from these scholarships, you may also avail the student loans from several banks. The Student Loan Network is another source to procure a wide range of loans for students.