Last summer, in 2006, Lais left Lieff Cabraser to get his master's degree in international law and human rights from the University for Peace, a creation of the United Nations General Assembly, in Costa Rica. "I wanted a year of international experience," Lais explained. He also wanted to "explore the culture" and improve his Spanish.
Lais is now back in San Francisco and finishing his master's thesis. He is currently temping at the firm Andrus, Liberty & Anderson. He recently offered some advice on the pros and cons of different types of paralegal work, mainly about where the transitory and career-oriented paths will lead you in the paralegal profession:
The Advantages of Transitory Paralegal Work:
- legal experience
- an opportunity to determine if the industry is the right one for you
- will be able to see if law school is for you
- sample job opportunities, often with no prior experience
- low pay
- If you're not going to stay in legal, it might be perceived as a dead spot on your resume down the road.
- not enough time in the industry to really advance or develop a full breadth of skills
- can be more of a challenge
- chance to make great money and work reasonable hours
- skill set that can transfer to just about any geography in the U.S.
- strengthen writing and communication skills
- develop client relations and customer service skills
- working with attorneys so much, developing an infinite supply of patience!
- few opportunities to advance into other positions in the legal industry
- You'll find you'll constantly explain to your friends what it is that you do.
- The constant need to keep up with advancements in technology, court rules, and industry practices leaves one at risk of becoming obsolete unless one continues to learn and develop.
