Paralegal job prospects are set to be very promising for the foreseeable future.
This is because there is an increase in the demand for paralegal services. A direct result of this is that more and more people are opting to becoming a paralegal.
Consequently, the job market is becoming very competitive. Previously, a person could become a paralegal with no formal paralegal school training.
Why Spend The Time Getting A Paralegal Degree?
These people learned on the job the duties and responsibilities of being a paralegal.
On the job training is still routinely done in the firms but employers now want their paralegals to have some paralegal qualifications.
The minimum paralegal qualification is the certificate. A certificate is usually granted after a few months training.
Certificate programs are offered at community colleges, vocational and business schools.
Paralegal Degree Standards
A certificate is good for entry level jobs but anyone serious about having a career as a paralegal and wanting to advance in that career should pursue a paralegal degree.
A certificate is suitable for people who are already holders of a bachelor’s degree, even if the degree is not related to law.
The certificate course should always be by an accredited school.
It is possible to get an associate degree, a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree in paralegal studies.
A master’s degree is quite rare but is an option pursued by people specializing in very technical areas.
The associate degree is the most common. This type of paralegal degree will typically last two years and is offered at vocation schools or universities.
A bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies is also offered at some universities and will entail four years of study.
There is a recent push by the National Federation of Paralegal Associations to have people interested in becoming paralegals to pursue bachelor’s degrees.
A master’s degree even though rare is likely to set you apart from the competition. As your career advances the more education you have, the better. This degree will normally last two years.
After getting the right paralegal degree, it is important but not mandatory to become certified.
A lot of people confuse certification with getting a certificate in a paralegal program. These two things are very different.
Who Certifies Paralegals?
Certification of paralegals is done by four bodies, the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA), the National Association of Legal Secretaries (NALS), the American Alliance of Paralegals Inc (AAPI) and the National Federation of Paralegals Associations (NFPA).
The three bodies NALA, NALS and NFPA require an individual to pass a written exam before being certified. AAPI offers paralegal degree certification based on an individual’s experience and education.