Monday, April 6, 2009

Is paralegal a profession the way to go?


Online Paralegal Courses

Paralegal or some call it legal assistant is an experienced, knowledgeable and trained person when it comes to concerned laws. A paralegal may act as a legal notary or representative in any given case governed by the laws.

Is a paralegal profession is a good selection? Yes this profession is the way to go if you are willing to work your way up. You must have experience, usually about 2 years. So, if you are willing to start out entry-level and work your way to being a paralegal, then that is a great thing. Getting a formal education is also important, as more employers are starting to demand American Bar Association approved schools.

Is a paralegal received good salary? Basically yes but it also depends on your specialty. The most in demand paralegals are those in the litigation field; followed by corporate paralegals that are responsible for maintaining corporate records, articles of incorporation, etc. While the "least" marketable yet the "highest" paid paralegals are in the field of intellectual property [i.e., patents, trademarks] and immigration law.

Remember, you have to choose your paralegal courses accordingly, with emphasis on litigation preparation [discovery], docketing/calendaring of incoming pleadings [calendaring] and trial preparation [creating Exhibit tabs, etc.]. The plus side of litigation paralegal is often unlimited overtime which can amount to a high salary range of $65,000 to $75,000 per year. Another plus side is you can take this course online. Many colleagues nowadays offer online paralegal courses. While the downside, being constantly pressured to meet a monthly client billable quota. If you are failing to meet that quota, often results in the paralegal overnight dismissal.