Paralegal School – Bigger than Life
In the land of liberty, paralegals owe a great debt of gratitude to a couple of organizations. Of course, there are other professional organizations that have contributed to the evolution of the paralegal as a prominent career in the field of law, but the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) and the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) have stood out. Boasting tens of thousands of members between them, these competing organizations’ have helped sculpt and influence the language of the paralegal (also called legal assistant by NALA) field for decades.
Crucial benchmarks to gauge when examining the standard of a paralegal school program:
1. Paralegal programs should not only teach legal concepts but they should also provide practical real world job skills. In addition, any reputable paralegal school curriculum would encompass everything from legal contacts and legal writing to ethics and torts. Top notch Paralegal programs should also offer the opportunity for students to gain work experience through practicum or an internship.
2. Who are the individuals making up the faculty and the administration of the paralegal school you are looking to attend? Does the curriculum program director have a law degree or minimally have they had solid field experience along with an advanced degree in some aspect of paralegal education? Are the instructors considered to be “experts” in their sphere of influence as a result of their field experience and educational background?
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.
