Why Paralegals Prefer Non-Traditional Career Many paralegals working in a corporate legal department have numerous reasons for pursuing a non-traditional career. One of the most obvious is the opportunity to work for only one client (the corporation) rather than for the multiple clients of a law firm. "When you work in a law firm you have to divide your loyalty and time among your clients and projects. Whereas when... (1044 views)
Alternative Careers in Law If You Can't Attend Law School If you want a career in law and can't attend law school, you can investigate the options available to paralegal professionals. Paralegals perform skilled legal services (some of which traditionally had been performed only by attorneys) under the supervision of lawyers. They interview clients, analyze documents, investigate, do legal research, prepare letters and other... (1180 views)
Paralegal: Stepping Stone to Other Careers As you begin your career as a paralegal, you will probably not be interested in seeing how your training can prepare you for jobs and careers outside the legal field. Sometime later, however, you might find such information useful. It is very helpful therefore, to consider these options as your career progresses, even from the beginning. For you will realize that your... (3576 views)
Future as a Paralegal There are many careers involving money and banking, which include importing, exporting, and stock brokerage. These fields may require credentials or particular qualifications. (79 views)
Beyond Beginner: Freelancing as a Paralegal Many paralegals, once they gain experience and establish a reputation for reliability and professional work, consider freelancing, which involves working as an independent contractor or with other paralegals as part of a group. Before examining ways in which you can follow this path, it is extremely important to understand what a paralegal can and cannot do. For that... (264 views)
Points To Consider For Opting as Paralegal Freelancer Remember that your first clients are the ones who will help you to establish your reputation. You cannot afford to be anything less than punctual and completely accurate in the work you do. While these traits are important in any job, as an independent paralegal, you will never hold clients or gain new ones if your reputation is not built on these factors. (39 views)
Plan Your Career as a Freelance Paralegal There are certain important issues to consider when planning your career as a freelance paralegal. (351 views)
Career Alternatives for Paralegals No matter where you are in your career or what field you're in, there are ways you can improve your career. There are many career alternatives available in almost every field. Look at your skills: languages, research ability, supervisory experience, knowledge of various industries. Where are they used? As a paralegal you might easily transfer to a company doing business... (1946 views)
Various Roles of Business or Corporation Paralegals Due to the rising cost of hiring outside counsel, corporations are performing more of their legal work themselves. According to one of the former presidents of the American Corporate Counsel Association, "You are going to see more and more companies handling litigation in house-not just managing litigation, but actually handling it.” Consequently, corporate legal... (29 views)
How Legal Professions Must Select Their Areas of Specialization What follows are descriptions of the many paralegal and law-related options that are available in many areas of the country. Information is provided under major categories. (127 views)
The Paralegal Profession: Defined by What It Is Not Of the jobs that have been created in the last part of the 20th century, most have highly defined parameters. Many are technical, and most have arisen from new technologies. The paralegal profession, however, is fundamentally different. It has arisen from an older profession, and its boundaries are defined more generally. What a paralegal does is often defined by what a... (19 views)
How the Way the Paralegal Profession Was Born Defines Paralegal Job Realities There are no job openings in this profession, like there are openings / for a spot on a production line. Paralegal employment situations are probably better described as opportunities, or better yet, windows of opportunity. This is a prime concept in your overall professional development. Networking is a word that you will continue to hear repeatedly as years go on. It is... (33 views)
Litigation Paralegal: The Paralegal of All Trades One student recently asked me, "When people say 'litigation,' they're not talking about practice areas are they? .They're talking about the process of settling the dispute, whatever that dispute is. . . . Right?" (159 views)
Truths in the Life of a Real Estate This kind of paralegal works with fixed forms among the many moving parts of the world of real estate law. This world can encompass foreclosures, closings, quiet title actions, and the realm of title companies. (By the way, title companies are hiring more and more paralegals because of their excellent awareness of the basic issues involved. Pay is increasing in some areas... (13 views)
Opting For Legal Research as a Possible Career Your effort to decide whether or not to become a lawyer has gotten a solid start. You've examined your motives for thinking about law as a career, you've reviewed some of the popular myths about law and lawyers, you've heard advice from various lawyers around the country, and you've evaluated your legal interests and skills. Now you're ready to go out and become a lawyer,... (17 views)
Matching Job Expectations to Job Realities for a Paralegal Our plans miscarry because they have no aim. When a man does not know what harbor he is making for, no wind is the right wind. Seneca (4 B.C.-65 A.D.) (528 views)
Why the Demand for Corporate Paralegals Is Growing A new association is rising up to represent a growing number of paralegals who populate the halls of Corporate America. Corporations must have counsel, and small companies may have an attorney on retainer. In this situation, the paralegal deals with the company as a client and bills time. As companies grow, they continue this relationship with an attorney or switch to a... (389 views)
A Quick Insight to the Paralegal Profession Here are some definitions of "paralegal." According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "paralegals perform many of the same tasks as lawyers, except for those tasks considered to be the practice of law." The National Federation of Para legal Associations (NFPA) defines a paralegal as "a person qualified through education,... (67 views)
Getting to Work as a Paralegal A number of career alternatives are open to a paralegal, from getting a job under and employer to alternative career tracks. In the first part of this article, we briefly mention alternative career tracks to a full job, and in the second part, we talk about finding your first job as a paralegal. (47 views)
Qualifications Needed to be a Freelance Paralegal There are few areas of the paralegal field more exciting and challenging than working as a freelance paralegal. As a freelance paralegal, you'll be able to be your own boss and chart your own course. An increasing number of paralegals are striking out on their own as freelancers, independent contractors, and entrepreneurs. What is a freelance paralegal? Who are the... (1249 views)
Common Specialization Areas in the Paralegal Profession What area of the law you work in may depend largely on the specialty of the employer. In a small general practice firm, the area of the law pretty much depends on the problems of the clients who come through the door. Was your client arrested? Then you'll be researching criminal law. Does your client want a divorce? Then you'll bone up on family law. A will? Estate... (2909 views)
Law Firms as Employers of Paralegals Most paralegals work in private law firms. However, law firms may be comprised of a few lawyers or several hundred. Paralegals also work for corporations, the government, nonprofit employers, and a variety of other places. Almost every agency of the federal government employs legal assistants; the majority of them are at the Departments of Justice, Treasury, Interior, and... (270 views)
Legal Professions as Court Staff Besides the obvious personnel you see buzzing around the courtroom-the lawyers and their staff and the judges- there are other key personnel who keep a courtroom running smoothly. Among these are court clerks, court reporters, and bailiffs. (22 views)
Job Opportunities for Law Enforcement Officers For those interested in the enforcement side of the law, there are many avenues to explore. From police officer to FBI agent, from U.S. Customs official to homicide detective, you can find the kind of work that would appeal to you most. (77 views)
Career Choices for Legal Professionals Crime doesn't pay, they say, but that old saw is aimed at criminals. On the other side of the law, there is a vast array of careers for law-abiding and justice-seeking individuals-and they all offer legitimate paychecks. (23 views)
Security Guards and Their Legal Role Security guards, also called security officers, patrol and inspect property to protect against fire, theft, vandalism, and illegal entry. Their duties vary with the size, type, and location of their employer. (5 views)
Want to Be a Legal Secretary? Legal secretaries are responsible for a variety of administrative and clerical duties that are necessary to run and maintain organizations efficiently. They schedule appointments, give information to callers, organize and maintain files, fill out forms, and take dictation. They may also type letters, make travel arrangements, or contact clients. In addition, secretaries... (25 views)
Legal Professionals Working As Corrections Officers Many corrections officers guard prisoners in small municipal jails or precinct station houses, where their responsibilities are wide ranging, while others control inmates in large state and federal penitentiaries, where job duties are more specialized. A relatively small number guard aliens who are being held by the Immigration and Naturalization Service awaiting release... (54 views)
Alternatives to Law Firms for Paralegal Jobs When you work in the in-house legal department of a corporation, you will probably deal with some of the corporate law topics I talked about earlier and also with the law of the specific industry you are in. On the corporate side, you may assist the corporate attorneys with employee contracts and benefit plans, shareholder agreements, and stock option plans. You may send... (949 views)
How much can you Earn as a Freelance Paralegal Basically there are two types of freelance paralegals, those who work on their own or in a loose association with a few other freelance paralegals, and those who run full-fledged paralegal services, with business addresses, advertising and a staff of employees. The first type of freelance paralegal, truly freelancers, are sometimes called independent contractors, a name... (7051 views)