Paralegals are professionals who work in law office to provide assistance and support to attorneys. They help lawyers to prepare for hearings, trials, and meetings. They also help to maintain communication with all clients and other parties that the attorney is currently dealing with. They offer many services, but they are prohibited from doing ant task that can be considered as practicing law. The name legal assistant is also used to refer to paralegals. When one needs Paralegal Services Orillia offers the perfect location to visit.
The field of legal assistance is growing very fast as more and more people enter it. As of 2012, statistics indicated that the United States had over 277, 000 paralegals. That number has continued to rise since then. Paralegals mostly work with law firms in the private sector as well as the public sector. In the public sector, they may find work government agencies, while in the private sector, they work in legal departments of organizations.
A person can become a paralegal in several ways. The simplest way is by finding a law firm which is willing to take untrained person under their employment and train them on the job. Under such arrangement, a person works under the direct supervision of other trained paralegals until they understand what is expected of them.
Alternatively, one can enroll for formal training in a college or university. These institutions offer associate as well as bachelors programs that last for four years. Associate degrees earned from community colleges usually take two years to complete. Those who already have a college degree in a different field can go ahead to earn a certificate in paralegal studies, which takes about a year to complete.
Although, not a requirement, after training a person can pursue certification. Individuals who pursue certification only do it for the purposes of improving their chances of landing a job in the legal profession. A person must verify that the certifying body is legit prior to enrolling. Every year, cases of people receiving certification from institutions that are not authorized to offer such credentials are reported.
Several soft skills are also needed so as to work successfully in this profession. Strong reading comprehension skills is among the skills as the work demands much reading. Reading and understanding what is read is very necessary and then reporting to the attorney one works with. It helps the attorney to make informed decisions. To communicate effectively with attorneys and clients, strong listening skills and speaking skills are also demanded.
Paralegals also need to be able to express themselves fluently in written communication. Part of the job involves drafting documents that are used for legal purposes. Such documents require a high level of clarity since the legal profession is a serious one. Critical thinking and good time management skills are also needed.
As one becomes more experienced in their job, they are entrusted with more critical responsibilities. For instance, one may be given the responsibility of overseeing and training new paralegals in the firm. One may also advance their profession by looking for better opportunities in other firms. It is possible for one to rise to a managerial position eventually.
The field of legal assistance is growing very fast as more and more people enter it. As of 2012, statistics indicated that the United States had over 277, 000 paralegals. That number has continued to rise since then. Paralegals mostly work with law firms in the private sector as well as the public sector. In the public sector, they may find work government agencies, while in the private sector, they work in legal departments of organizations.
A person can become a paralegal in several ways. The simplest way is by finding a law firm which is willing to take untrained person under their employment and train them on the job. Under such arrangement, a person works under the direct supervision of other trained paralegals until they understand what is expected of them.
Alternatively, one can enroll for formal training in a college or university. These institutions offer associate as well as bachelors programs that last for four years. Associate degrees earned from community colleges usually take two years to complete. Those who already have a college degree in a different field can go ahead to earn a certificate in paralegal studies, which takes about a year to complete.
Although, not a requirement, after training a person can pursue certification. Individuals who pursue certification only do it for the purposes of improving their chances of landing a job in the legal profession. A person must verify that the certifying body is legit prior to enrolling. Every year, cases of people receiving certification from institutions that are not authorized to offer such credentials are reported.
Several soft skills are also needed so as to work successfully in this profession. Strong reading comprehension skills is among the skills as the work demands much reading. Reading and understanding what is read is very necessary and then reporting to the attorney one works with. It helps the attorney to make informed decisions. To communicate effectively with attorneys and clients, strong listening skills and speaking skills are also demanded.
Paralegals also need to be able to express themselves fluently in written communication. Part of the job involves drafting documents that are used for legal purposes. Such documents require a high level of clarity since the legal profession is a serious one. Critical thinking and good time management skills are also needed.
As one becomes more experienced in their job, they are entrusted with more critical responsibilities. For instance, one may be given the responsibility of overseeing and training new paralegals in the firm. One may also advance their profession by looking for better opportunities in other firms. It is possible for one to rise to a managerial position eventually.
About the Author:
Find an overview of the advantages of using paralegal services Orillia firms offer and more info about an experienced paralegal at http://www.johnfarrparalegal.ca right now.
No comments:
Post a Comment