Robin Said:

Do Paralegals make a decent living?

We Answered:

The opportunities for a paralegal really depends on the specialty. The most in demand paralegals are those in the litigation field; followed by corporate paralegals who are responsible for maintaining corporate records, articles of incorporation, etc. While the "least" marketable [but the "highest" paid] paralegals are in the field of intellectual property [i.e., patents, trademarks] and immigration law. In conclusion, choose your paralegal courses accordingly, with emphasis on litigation preparation [discovery], docketing/calendaring of incoming pleadings [calendaring] and trial preparation [creating Exhibit tabs, Bajii jury instructions, etc.]. The "pro" side of a litigation paralegal is often "unlimited" overtime which can amount to a high salary range of $65,000 to $75,000 per year, while the "downside," being constantly pressured to meet a monthly client billable quota. And failing to meet that quota, often results in the paralegal's overnight
dismissal. It's not a pretty picture. I just want to lay out what really happens in the real world of litigators and their relationship with subordinate paralegals.

Good luck!

Michael Said:

Yet ANOTHER question about ABA approved Paralegal programs, and NALA testing.... please help!?

We Answered:

First of all, I am a paralegal in the State of Texas and all I know comes from my experience here. That goes to say that my knowledge might not be accurate where you live.

Is attending an ABA program a deal breaker? No. The reason I always preach going the ABA route is the quality of the program you are attending. If you compare some of the curriculum of ABA approved programs vs. non-ABA, you will quickly find a difference. Is this in all cases? Probably not. Again, this is from my experience. Our firm actively participates in internship opportunities for law clerks and paralegals. We have a local ABA approved program that requires internship hours. I can tell you, from my perspective and experience (I am the person that narrows down the applications), that the college students vs. online students is drastic. There are certain classes, like legal research, that you just can't feasibly do online. The college has a law library and their students are required to know how to use the law library and the books. Granted, most research is now done online, it is still good to know. It has been my experience that the online students really know nothing. We've fired many online interns because they just didn't cut it.

I believe you are misinformed about the NALA certification. You cannot take the exam for the Certified Paralegal designation unless you meet the following education/experience criteria:

(a) Approved by the American Bar Association; or
(b) An associate degree program; or
(c) A post-baccalaureate certificate program in paralegal studies; or
(d) A bachelor's degree program in paralegal studies; or
(e) A paralegal program which consists of a minimum of 60 semester hours (900 clock hours or 90 quarter hours) of which at least 15 semester hours (225 clock hours or 22.5 quarter hours) are substantive legal courses.

2. A bachelor's degree in any field plus one year's experience as a paralegal. Successful completion of at least 15 semester hours (or 22.5 quarter hours or 225 clock hours) of substantive paralegal courses will be considered equivalent to one year's experience as a paralegal.

3. A high school diploma or equivalent plus seven (7) years' experience as a paralegal under the supervision of a member of the Bar, plus evidence of a minimum of twenty (20) hours of continuing legal education credit to have been completed within a two (2) year period prior to the examination date.

My point is, you will not qualify to take the NALA exam until after you received your education, so your qualm about becoming NALA certified and attend a NON ABA program is moot.

Not attending an ABA program will not completely shut you out. Getting hired is 100% dependent on the hiring attorney and how well you write a resume. No one can predict that for you. If your degree is from a reputable school, not some fake paralegal institute or backyard program, you should be fine. Just make sure you know how to explain to the hiring attorney what you learned in your legal classes.

Good luck.

**EDIT** Yes. I had to re-read everything. You would need at least 15 credit hours of legal courses and you can test.

Arthur Said:

Anyone ever heard of the Paralegal Institute in Phoenix, AZ?

We Answered:

The Paralegal Institute is a wonderful school. I'm not sure where the other responder got her information from. (Speaking about Ashley).

The Paralegal Institute is accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accredation (CHEA).

The Paralegal Institute is also licensed by the State of Arizona and a member of the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA).

Based on the information the first responder gave, I would assume that it is a bad attempt at advertising Kaplan University.

I've had better then good experience with TPI. I highly suggest that anybody interested in furthering their education go with them. I can assure you that you won't waste your money.

Everything I stated can be verified through the U.S. Department of Education, CHEA, and the State of Arizona. Ignore the other comment by Ashley. It is based on lies (sorry to say).

Victoria Said:

When can I call myself a paralegal?

We Answered:

I am a paralegal in Texas. I started calling myself a paralegal the minute I was hired which was before I graduated. The definition of paralegal according to the American Bar Association states, "A legal assistant or paralegal is a person, qualified by education, training or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible."

I was hired as an intern; however, I was being trained and gaining work experience, performing substantive legal work and all under the supervision of an attorney. I think this is a great definition you should use to determine when you can call yourself a paralegal.

From your description, as long as you are working under the supervision of an attorney, you can start calling yourself a paralegal. You do not need diploma in hand.

Marion Said:

Paralegal at Duke University classroom program?

We Answered:

why arent you pursuing a career as an english teacher?