Monday, December 29, 2008

Online Paralegal Courses: What you will learn?

Online Paralegal Courses



























An online paralegal courses basically requires comprehensive education and a list of offered courses that will give any students the vision of studying conveniently online. It should also give the students the interests of becoming a certified legal assistant. An online paralegal courses is one true vocation of making other people's lives even better.

The online paralegal courses is best for those individuals who want to learn or acquire knowledge about legal matters. Since this training is basically available via online, it may also include hands-on training for the professional students. Most of the online paralegal instructors are licensed attorneys.

The learning process of an online paralegal courses is very quick and easy. It can be done at home or any place where you can access the Internet. It can be accomplished depending on the spare or full time allotted by the students.

Learning how to provide support and draft important documents for attorneys are some of the important job functions of a legal assistant. These tasks are basically part of the comprehensive online paralegal training.

Other tasks may include doing some internet researches, making some phone calls, and doing one on one tasks with clients. To some higher and effective resolutions, the tasks may include critical interviews with clients.

Lessons and skills for online paralegal courses are always easy to understand, especially when extensive instructions are provided. The course work of online paralegal studies includes information on the purposes of a legal assistant and how the job helps paralegal functions and lawyers.

Acquiring an online paralegal education will give further understanding of the different types of laws as well as the origins of laws. As a legal assistant, knowing the objectives of performing legal tasks and the philosophy of laws is very essential.

Legal assistants should imperatively understand what the attorney needs every time a preliminary job is done on a particular case.

Article taken from http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ricky_Lim and modified.

Online Paralegal courses

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Online Paralegal Courses: Do you in a hurry to get paralegal degree?

Online Paralegal Courses

Do you in a hurry to get a paralegal degree? Do you already have a career in paralegal but are still aiming for a career growth? If so, you most likely need an online paralegal courses certificate.
Online paralegal certificate programs are appropriate to persons who would like to be trained paralegals and penetrate the labor force as soon and as reasonably priced as possible. This is also good for person who has degrees in a different field and wants to try a career as a paralegal. Those who are already in law area might also want to refresh their legal know-how and add more qualifications to their resume for possible career growth.
Without doubt, there are colleges and universities that offer paralegal certificate programs. However, most potential students have day jobs to deal with the coursework preventing them from earning the degree they wanted.
This is exactly where online paralegal certificate programs come in. Virtual paralegal education gives student the benefit of earning a degree at their own pace. By taking an online paralegal certificate, you can choose the classes that fit your schedule.
Most online paralegal courses schools are accredited by the Council for Higher Education and the US Department of Education. They abide by the standards of different paralegal organizations such as National Association of Legal Assistance and National Federation of Paralegal Associations.

Some online paralegal courses for certificate programs are also affiliated with the leading legal education providers in the US. Best of all, online paralegal certificate programs can also refer you directly to a list of paralegal vacancies shortly after finishing the degree.

Check out a nearby college and university or browse the Internet for online paralegal schools.

Online Paralegal Courses.

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Friday, October 24, 2008

Online Paralegal Courses: What is a Paralegal Courses Degree?

Online Paralegal Courses.

What is a Paralegal Courses Degree?

A Paralegal Courses degree prepares students for worthwhile careers in the field of law. Graduates with an AAS degree in Paralegal Courses can use their degree to get an instant position in the field, or they can select to further study.

What are the required courses?

To get a degree in Paralegal Studies, students must pass subject that provide the skills they need to reach success in the field. Though subject names may vary, required subject often include some similarity of the following:

Business Communications
Introduction to Law
Constitutional Law
Criminal Litigation
Personal Injury and Property Damage
Legal Research Methods
Civil Procedure

What are the skills obtained from the AAS degree?

Student who pursue to AAS degree in Paralegal Studies must acquire specific skills before being qualified for graduation. In addition to becoming familiar with basic law principles, students will also get hold of these skills:

Analytical Skills
Technical Skills
Written Communication Skills
Oral Communication Skills

Why you need to get an AAS Degree in Paralegal Studies?

A Paralegal Studies degree can prepare graduates for a massive amount of jobs in the field of law. Graduates who have obtained a Paralegal Studies degree can look for employment in wide variety of organizations and institutions.


What is the salary for AAS degree?

The graduates with an AAS degree in Paralegal Studies can get an average of $25,000-$70,000 salary annually. The salary amount often varies depending on the place of employment, job responsibilities and level of experience.


Online Paralegal Courses

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Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Online Paralegal Course: The Academic Requirement

Online Paralegal Courses

Basically there are no particular academic requirements to become a paralegal. But, applicants with law degree or bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies will definitely be prioritized.

The common and easiest way to have educational qualification is to attend 2-year associate degree on paralegal studies. But for those who already have bachelor’s degree on a different field, you may attend paralegal certification programs that usually take a few months. Some good employers also give on-the-job paralegal trainings for selected applicants who are also degree holders on a different field.

Even though not all time true, but applicants who have paralegal certifications are preferred by most employers. One can get a Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) certification by taking up a 2-day examination. Paralegals with bachelor’s degree and at least 2 years of paralegal experience can take the Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam to earn a Registered Paralegal (RP) certification.

You don’t have to worry because there are more than enough paralegal organizations that offer certification programs one can take to spruce up one’s resume. This is including online paralegal courses.

First and foremost, a paralegal needs to have an exquisite knowledge of the legal jargon. This is because what employer’s looks at applicant are paralegal skills and knowledge as selection criteria.

Excellent investigative and research skill is also a requirement since the job description entails retrieving data from various indexes such as law libraries, online archives, and most of the time, field works. A paralegal also should be computer and Internet-savvy to carry out research duties in the office as the lawyer necessitates.

Excellent written communication skills to document and present findings and draft legal documents are also needed. Oral communication skills have to be honed since paralegals may need to discuss findings with supervising attorneys, clients and other resource person.

More than anything else, a paralegal must also abide with legal ethics and confidentiality standards as much as the lawyer does. Confidence, resourcefulness and perseverance are vital work attitude to make a career not only as paralegal, but in the field of law in general.

Online Paralegal Courses

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Online Paralegal Courses

Online Paralegal Courses.

For many people, being a paralegal is an important profession. But, they unable to attend regular college due to certain conditions. This is due to either short of funds or have other unavoidable circumstances. For such individuals, online paralegal courses are the best choice. These courses will cover all that is needed to be a paralegal.

Since paralegal is a fast growing field, there are many online paralegal courses available. However good recognized courses must be taken if one is serious about this profession. There will be the complete material required to study, and the material available will be as good as attending regular college. There are many pros as well as cons about online courses for paralegals.

This profession is very challenging, as there may not be the chance for the students to interact too much with the teachers. Though they do have online interaction through chat rooms, the opportunities will be limited. They will however be able to study when they want. They will be required to be part of discussions for a certain number of hours, before they can get the credits for the online paralegal course.

An outline of online paralegal courses is available on many sites, and with this the student who wishes to enroll will have a clear idea about what is to be covered. There are courses that can be covered on a short term, and the term can be chosen according to the convenience of the student. Some sites will even have live chat options, where they may discuss about the course before they join.

Most of the courses will be accredited to main universities, so there will be no need for students to worry about the credibility of the course. No doubt, these online paralegal courses will be worth the money.


Online Paralegal courses
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Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Online Paralegal Courses: What are paralegals everywhere talking about?

Online Paralegal Courses

What are paralegals everywhere talking about?

Paralegal Services USA conducted The Nation's 1st Paralegal Services Franchise Network. You can find out more by attending the teleconference. Detail as below;

Date: October 2, 2008
Time: 7:00 pm (Eastern Time)
Hosted by: Peggy E. Stalford, LA, Paralegal Services USA Co-Founder


Ms. Stalford shall talk about the Paralegal Services USA franchise network in detail, answer your questions, and guide you through getting started in your own freelance paralegal business as a Paralegal Services USA franchise.

Make your reservation today because space is limited! Visit http://www.paralegalservicesusa.com/teleconference.htm to register.

Why Become a Paralegal Services USA Franchisee?

There has never been a better time than right now to start your own freelance paralegal business. But being a freelance paralegal is much more than being a paralegal, you are also a business owner, and with that come all of the responsibilities of owning a business.
As America’s first paralegal services franchisor, we understand how daunting starting a new business can be. Our specialized operations and marketing system designed for the freelance paralegal allows you to build upon our many years of experience so that you can achieve your dream of owning your own business in a profession that you love!

Online Paralegal Courses

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Online Paralegal Course: Weekend Training

Online Paralegal Course.

Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported that Brooklyn College is kicking off a new paralegal training program in September to help ambitious individuals start successful careers in legal work.

This course is organized in cooperation with the Center for Legal Studies, the Paralegal Certificate Course is an 84-hour program that offers to train students in important skills, such as interviewing witnesses, preparing legal documents, and assisting in the preparation of cases for courtroom litigation.

The six-week course is held on weekends throughout the fall.

Read the full report here, http://www.brooklyneagle.com/categories/category.php?category_id=4&id=22727


This year the program will begin Sept. 6, and is offered online paralegal courses as well as in a classroom setting. More information regarding the program is available at http://www.legalstudies.com and www.brooklyn.cuny.edu


Online Paralegal Course.

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Alabama AG boosts staffers' salaries (Online Paralegal Courses)

Online Paralega Courses

This is news from montgomeryadvertiser.com. This is a good new for those who are considering to become paralegal.

Montgomeryadvertiser.com reported that attorney General Troy King has used his appointment authority to boost the salaries of some of his top aides, including one with no legal experience who was designated as a paralegal making more than $104,000 annually.

In another case, one person went from being an unpaid summer intern to a chief aide making $57,000 annually. And an employee got a nearly $30,000 salary boost after taking a leave of absence to manage King's campaign.

King spokesman Chris Bence told The Birmingham News that several employees were given new titles, which allowed their salaries to go up, but their responsibilities also increased.

Bence was among those benefiting from the raises.
Bence, 61, serves as King's spokesman and chief of staff. But in state personnel records, he's listed as a paralegal. King sought that designation for Bence this spring although Bence acknowledges he has no legal experience or training. Bence's new job title allowed King to increase his salary from just more than $94,000 a year to just more than $104,400.

State law allows the attorney general to appoint five paralegals but does not specify qualifications for the positions. Paralegals normally assist lawyers with the preparation of cases.
Bence said the attorney general is not bound to fill the paralegal slot with a trained paralegal.

"The titles are all flexible," he said.
He said King gave him the appointment and raise to make up for three years he did not receive a raise.
Another employee, John W. Godwin, started working in the attorney general's office last summer as an unpaid intern while finishing his senior year at Troy University.
Godwin, now 24, moved quickly to a post paying $10 per hour. Then in July 2007, King appointed him as a special administrative assistant earning $39,456 a year. He completed his degree in broadcast journalism in December, and on March 27 was named to his current title of executive assistant.

State records show the job pays $57,504 annually.
"J.W. is an exceptional young man who is the chief aide to the attorney general and who is almost indispensable in terms of the many functions he carries out in this office," Bence told the newspaper.
Bence said Godwin's duties include policy research and constituent relations, and he serves as a liaison between the attorney general and the staff.
Godwin travels with King as part of his duties, such as accompanying him to this year's National Association of Attorneys General Conference.

King got appointed attorney general in 2004 by Gov. Bob Riley. When King ran for a full term in 2006, Kenneth Steely was working in the job Godwin now holds. Steely had a law degree and was making $67,000.
Steely took a leave of absence from the attorney general's office to run King's campaign and resigned in October of that year. On. Nov. 17, 2006 -- 10 days after King's victory -- the attorney general wrote the state Personnel Department naming Steely a deputy attorney general with a salary of $95,949 a year.

Bence said Steely was offered the nearly $30,000 raise to try to keep him from leaving for private practice. But a year later, Steely did leave King's staff for private practice.
The departure didn't end his ties to King. Last month the attorney general's office hired Steely as a contract lawyer to help handle gambling litigation. Bence said Steely had become an expert on the issue while working in the attorney general's office.


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Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Online Paralegal Courses

Online Paralegal Courses

You can become a paralegal by taking a degree through classroom or Online Paralegal Program. The online degree program offers a large variety of the courses for the students. The online degrees facilitate the flexibility of the students for the online achievement of their degree. Various universities and institutes offer this online program.

One of the colleges that offer online program is National Paralegal College at http://nationalparalegal.edu/

They offer Associate’s Degree Program that can be completed in 15 months, while their paralegal Certificate Program can be completed in just 7 months.

They also give a 2-week no-cost trial enrollment by completing their school application, attend live online lectures and experience their virtual classroom. You can interact with their attorney instructors and with your classmates, all from the comfort of your home or office.

Another online college that offer Online Paralegal Courses is Blackstone Career Institute.
http://www.blackstonelaw.com/

They offer online courses to become Legal Assistant and their Online Paralegal Courses is continually being refined by the most experienced and talented professionals in the legal field, as well as experts in the area of distance education. Most of their students complete the Online Paralegal Courses in 8-24 months.

Their program provides the required clock hours needed to sit for the Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) exam given by the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA).

They have long history, since 1890, Blackstone Career Institute has helped thousands of busy adults seeking to improve their lives and start a new career through our Legal Assistant or Paralegal program.

Basically, the Online Paralegal Courses consists of the entire syllabus that is included in the regular degree course. One gets the advantage to work during the education. The students can set up own study hours as the course is available for 24- hours. The working professionals and even ladies with families can complete their degree as they do not have to worry about the transportation.

The online degree program facilitates the students with the audio cum visual demonstration. Since this is an online program, a 24- hour help database is provided. The online exams are carried out for the students. They are also provided with the grades to keep a check on the studies.

The online program also comprises of other facilities like chat rooms, E- Bulletin and notice boards, E- Mails, online journals, library and discussion panels. The students can discuss the study material and their doubts online with other students. This program also provides assistance in the placements of the jobs for students.

The Online Paralegal Courses is a great choise to become a Paralegal.








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Monday, June 30, 2008

What qualities are needed to be a successful paralegal today? (Online Paralegal Courses)

Online Paralegal Courses.

When we talk about law, many of us may only be familiar with the lawyer, but behind the majority of every lawyer, is a hard working paralegal. Paralegal: A person who assists a lawyer in duties related to the practice of law but who is not a licensed attorney (Black’s 1136). John Marinan who is an attorney at Katich, Werse, Petillo, said, "Paralegals are extremely vital to the legal profession. They in many respects are the unrecognized, the lube shall I say, that keeps the wheels of the profession moving."

What qualities are needed to be a successful paralegal today? A successful paralegal should be prepared and flexible, and have an interest in the law. The law is run on many deadlines, papers to be filed and clients to be met with. Lawyers cannot do this alone, and that is where the paralegal comes in.

Over the years, there has been a bit of controversy in the comparison of a paralegal and a legal secretary. Dorothy Secol, a freelance paralegal, said, "The difference is that the legal secretary usually can draft pleadings from models she has drawn before and has kept. The paralegal, in knowing the theory and the law, can draft a pleading from scratch because she knows the legal theorem behind the questions or the action."

Paralegals come with various different educational backgrounds. Lawyers go through such educational training to be who they are, usually seven to eight years. A paralegal on the other hand, may have minimal scholastic training. Some attend a two-year program, while others do a four-year program. Denise Vasil, a paralegal at Katich, Werse, Petillo and a learning assistant in the legal department of Brookdale Community College, said, "It depends on the student. There are a lot of students ready to go straight into a four-year program and stick with it, and there are students right out of high school who do not want to commit to anything that long. They are not sure what they want to do, so a two-year program is good for them. More education will never hurt. More attorneys want to see a bachelors degree."

What does a paralegal actually do in his or her job? Ms. Secol said, "I do everything an attorney does except give advice, set fees and go to court to represent a client. I also do the actual research and drafting of documents." Cindy Lopez, a paralegal and also the founder of NJParalegal.com, said, "The paralegal profession is a lot of research, but you do other jobs; investigating, lots of phone work (depending upon your type of law) and writing and analyzing".

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Paralegal firm XCopper goes bankrupt (Online Paralegal Courses)

Online Paralega Course: This is news about Paralegal Firm who goes bankrupt...

TORONTO (CBC) - The Ontario-based paralegal firm XCopper has filed for bankruptcy, leaving thousands of clients without representation in court.

Documents obtained by CBC News from Industry Canada say XCopper Legal Services owes almost $2 million and filed for bankruptcy on Friday.
The company - which has offices in a number of communities including Toronto, Barrie and Ottawa - still has about 6,000 to 7,000 active cases in the legal system. Each client has already paid anywhere from $300 to $1,000 as a deposit, depending on the complexity of the case.
Gary Parker, the former manager in charge of training at XCopper's office in Brampton, said many clients might not even know the company has gone out of business.
"So what is happening is that in the majority of traffic tickets ... people are being considered 'deemed not a dispute.' They're being convicted in their absence because no-one is showing up [to defend] them," said Parker.
If the clients are lucky enough to be in court on the day of their trials, they can defend themselves.
So far, the company hasn't given any public explanation of why it went bankrupt. Some suspect it could be linked to a series of reforms instituted by the Ontario government to regulate the entire paralegal industry.
New rules came into effect in May that imposed licensing and financial requirements on the firms.
The new rules include the establishment of a trust account for clients' money that the paralegal firm can't access until the work is done.



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Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Fast Facts (Online Paralegal Courses)

This fast facts I took from http://www.online-education.net/paralegal-degrees.html

This facts should give an idea for people about Paralegal or Legal assistant. If you are interested, don't forget you can become a paralegal using online paralegal courses.

Fast Facts:

* Percentage of paralegals working at law firms: 70%
* Average base salary for paralegals working at law firms: $37,870
* Other frequent employers of paralegals:
o Real estate companies
o Corporate counsel offices
o Government agencies
* Typical salary for paralegals working in federal government: $59,370
* Number of working paralegals in the U.S.: 224,000

What Paralegals Do
Paralegals working for government agencies often prepare material for court cases and hearings. Because the work can be more repetitive than the varied tasks offered at most law firms, government paralegals enjoy higher salaries and more-robust benefit packages than other legal assistants.

Experts indicate that, in some parts of the country, job prospects for paralegals are actually better than those for lawyers. In fact, a growing number of law firms now prefer potential job seekers to have gained a few years' experience as a paralegal before applying for open positions as attorneys.

Interesting fact right, so take your online paralegal courses for your future.


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Friday, May 16, 2008

Paralegal charged with performing attorney duties settles.

This is a news about person who is charged for operating an unlicensed law practice.

State AGs
5/13/2008
Paralegal charged with performing attorney duties settlesby

RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - New York attorneys -- and those who impersonate them -- may be living in fear of New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo on Tuesday reached a settlement with Arthur Chisholm, charged with operating an unlicensed law practice in Lindenhurst, that will require him to pay restitution to his former customers and $17,000 in penalties and costs to the state.

Chisolm is not an attorney, though he represented as a paralegal when he prepared work on wills, evictions and divorces, Cuomo said. He added that he performed duties outside of the scope of a paralegal."New Yorkers in need of legal representation expect to be able to hire qualified attorneys with the requisite training and background," Cuomo said. "Those who are unqualified to practice law and attempt to go beyond their legally permitted boundaries do not only a disservice to the consumers they 'represent,' but also the entire profession."One of Cuomo's main quests this year has been a statewide investigation into attorneys who received public benefits because they were put on the payrolls of school systems.

Recently, two attorneys settled those allegations with Cuomo. He has subpoenaed information on 70 upstate attorneys and 20 Long Island attorneys.His undercover investigation into Chisolm started in November. Anyone who thinks they were defrauded by Chisolm can attempt to join in the settlement.From Legal Newsline: John O'Brien can be reached via e-mail at john@legalnewsline.com.

This should be a good lesson for everybody who ares interested in law. Get certified & and know what you can do and cannot do.

The full story can be found in here.
http://www.legalnewsline.com/news/212275-paralegal-charged-with-performing-attorney-duties-settles


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Monday, January 21, 2008

Video about Paralegal or Legal Assistant

I found this video in Youtube post by CareerExplorer. It's a one minute video but it give a very good idea about paralegal or Legal assistant. Take a look and you can get idea about what Paralegal or legal assistant do.



Another video from Collagegrad.com also give a very good explanation about paralegal or legal assistant.




See you next time.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Paralegal Education Program

Educational Programs
Today, there is an estimate of 600 paralegal education programs in the United States. Paralegal education programs are offered in many formats and lengths. Various kinds of public and private institutions offer paralegal education, including community colleges, four-year colleges and universities, business colleges and proprietary institutions. These various institutions make it possible for persons with diverse backgrounds to enter the profession.

The most common types of programs are:

Associate Degree Programs. These programs are offered by two-year community colleges, some four-year colleges and universities, and some business schools. Upon successful completion of 60-70 semester units, a student earns an associate degree. The curriculum usually consists of approximately 1/2 paralegal courses and a 1/2 courses in general education and related areas. In selecting a program, prospective student should consider whether they might continue their education to earn a four-year degree at another college and, if so, should investigate the transferability of courses in the programs they are considering.
Bachelor Degree Programs. Paralegal education is also offered by four-year colleges and universities which have a paralegal studies major, minor, or concentration within a major. These programs are usually about 120 - 130 semester units, including 30-60 semester units in paralegal and related courses. Upon successful completion of the program, the student is awarded a baccalaureate degree.

Certificate Programs.
Various kinds of educational institutions offer paralegal certificate programs ranging from 18-60 semester units. Longer programs usually include both general education and paralegal courses, similar to associate degree programs. Certificate programs are usually designed for students who already hold an associate or baccalaureate degree.

Master's Degree Programs.
A few colleges and universities that offer undergraduate paralegal degree programs are now offering an advanced degree in paralegal studies. Other universities offer advanced degree programs and law-related areas such as legal administration and legal studies.
The American Bar Association has a program of approving legal assistant training programs which meet their guidelines. Seeking ABA approval is voluntary on the part of the institution. There are some quality programs that have chosen not to seek approval. However, the ABA guidelines are useful in evaluating a program. For further information about the ABA guidelines, contact the American Bar Association, Standing Committee on Legal Assistants, 750 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60611.The web site of the American Association for Paralegal Education may also offer some helpful information for you including a roster of member institutions, and a Statement of Academic Quality which was adopted by the AAfPE membership in October of 1997.

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