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| *Ostroff, Fair and Company>>>Law & Legal |
Paralegal studies? |
I'm currently a high school senior and I'm interested in going into the Paralegal field with eventually going to law school down the road once I save up money and get experience in the law field. If I finish my schooling for paralegal here in Michigan, and find a job outside of the state to work in a big city, would my degree be "void" since I won't be working in Michigan. I know there is probably a state test I would have to take to make sure I am capable of working but would it matter where I got my degree or not? If anyone wants to share their experiences with being a paralegal or where they went to school for their degree, I would surely appreciate it! Thanks! The degree would not be void if you went to another jurisdiction. However, you'd have to find out what the requirements are for the state that you may move to - to make sure you qualify as a paralegal (schooling, work experience, etc.). I don't believe there is a state test for paralegals - only for lawyers. Information on what is a paralegal can be found at this website: http://www.nala.org/whatis.htm and http://www.nala.org/terms.htm Tasks performed by a paralegal include, but are not limited to, case planning, development, and management; legal research; interviewing clients; fact gathering and retrieving information; drafting and analyzing legal documents; collecting, compiling, and utilizing technical information to make an independent decision and recommendation to the supervising attorney; and representing clients before a state or federal administrative agency if that representation is permitted by statute, court rule, or administrative rule or regulation. take out loans to go to law school if you want to go. becoming a paralegal first is useless. 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" markeable [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! |
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