What Is A Paralegal Specialist?


Posted on April 29, 2011 by admin

This site has looked at the question of what is a paralegal in the context of the civilian job world; this post will look at what is a paralegal specialist. A paralegal specialist is the title for legal assistants or paralegals in the Army.  Paralegal Specialists may find themselves helping judges, Army attorneys, or unit commanders in various legal areas including family law, criminal law, contract law and international law (just to name a few).

Some primary areas of responsibility for paralegal specialists are providing administrative support to commanders and staff; preparing legal documents for court martials and other non-judicial punishments; Preparing line of duty determinations, separation board proceedings, and other administrative law matters;providing assistance services in the preparation of documents such as powers of attorney, wills, and separation decrees; and preparing claims processing and investigations. Continue reading →

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5 Tips On How to Become A Paralegal

Posted on April 27, 2011 by admin

A lot of people are looking for information on how to become a paralegal; so I thought I would put together a few tips to getting you going on the path to becoming a paralegal.

  1. Intern or volunteer at a law firm.  Do you want to know what working as a paralegal is really like?  If so, you should consider volunteering or interning at a law firm before taking the leap into the career.  While you’re there, talk to the attorneys and find out what their opinion is on which type of training seems to make for the best paralegals.  Ask if they prefer paralegals who were trained on the job, those who are certified, or those who have an associates degree as paralegal.  Also, ask why they have that opinion. Continue reading →
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Best Places to Find Paralegal Jobs

Posted on April 25, 2011 by admin

Paralegal jobs may become more and more scarce with the influx of newly trained paralegals entering this lucrative field. Because of the potential tightening of the market, it’s important for those searching for a job to know where to start their search. This article will explore some of the best types of companies, industries, and states for paralegals to find work.

Types of Places Where Paralegals to Get Jobs

There are many places paralegal jobs can be found. As you may be able to predict, law firms are the most likely place of employment for paralegals. Next in line in the hiring chain are federal government agencies. Local (city or county) government falls behind federal government in employing paralegals; with state government taking up the fourth position in hiring. Rounding out the top five are private companies and enterprises. Continue reading →

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Paralegal Job Description for Nurse Paralegals

Posted on April 23, 2011 by admin

This article examines what a paralegal job description for nurse paralegals looks like.  A nurse paralegal, also commonly referred to as a nurse consultant, is a RN with many years of experience working as a nurse who is hired as a paralegal in a law office, insurance company or other similar facility.

Most attorneys do not have experience reading medical records and lack knowledge of medical terminology and what medical records really mean.  Having a medical expert on staff is crucial for firms who practice in the areas of medical malpractice or personal injury.  Often that’s where a nurse paralegal is sought after and hired.

A nurse paralegal will spend their days completely such duties as reviewing medical records in personal injury, medical malpractice, and other similar cases.  These reviews can serve to help attorneys determine if there has been negligence on the part of a physician and determining the extent of a plaintiff’s injuries in a personal injury case.  Medical reviews can also help determine potential problems found in a plaintiff’s medical history.

Additionally, a nurse paralegal will help prepare attorneys for taking the depositions of their experts and the medical experts of the opposing side.  A nurse paralegal is also invaluable for interviewing other nurses and medical professionals who may serve as witnesses for either party to a case.

The paralegal job description will also spell out the qualifications for a nurse paralegal.  A nurse paralegal will be most often be required to have several years of experience as a nurse before being qualified to have enough knowledge to serve as a paralegal.  Often companies who are hiring for the position of nurse paralegal also will require that the individual be certified as a nurse consultant.

As you can see from the above paralegal job description, a nurse paralegal has many essential functions in the legal field.  These positions are great opportunities for nurses looking to make a career change.

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Paralegal Salary–A Comparison to Other Job Salaries

Posted on April 21, 2011 by admin

Often when you’re trying to decide if you want to embark on a career as a paralegal, it’s helpful to know how the paralegal salary compares to salaries in other professions. This article looks at salaries of some other careers that individuals who are interested in a paralegal career might also be interested in and compares those salaries. As with any career or profession, salaries will vary based on geographic location and the type of facility you choose to work for; so this article will look only at the national averages.

Paralegal Salaries

As discussed in a previous article, paralegals average earning a base salary of $46,980. In addition to that base salary, it is very likely that paralegals will also earn a bonus and overtime pay (about $6,000), which can make their salary considerable higher.

Teacher Salaries

Teacher salaries vary based on whether the teacher is teaching in elementary or secondary education; and the type of institution they are teaching in, for example, private school versus public school. High school teachers average the highest salary at approximately $52,000 per year; while day care center teachers only average $28,000. Teachers at religious schools and those who teach special education earn less than other comparable public school teachers, earning about $48,000 per year.

Teachers in New York state are the highest wage earners, bringing in approximately $72,708. Massachusetts teachers earn on average $71,017; California teachers are next in line earning on average $69,434 per year; and New Jerseys finishes off the top four states at $66,985/year.

Registered Nurse Salaries

On average, registered nurses earn $63,750 annually. Again, earnings vary greatly depending on location and type of facility worked in. What seem to be a big factor in determining salary is the level of specialization. Here is the break down on how many salaries stack up based on facility and state worked in:

Facilities

  • General Medical and Surgical Hospital $67,290
  • Offices of Physicians $67,290
  • Outpatient Care Centers $65,690
  • Home Health Care $63,300
  • Nursing care Facilities $59,320

States

  • California $85,080
  • Massachusetts$81,780
  • Hawaii $80,020
  • Maryland $76,330
  • New Jersey $74,990

Social Worker (MSW)

The average social worker will earn a salary of $54,667. Social workers can work in school settings or medical and public health settings. Those who work in medical and public health settings generally tend to receive a higher salary.

As you can see, a paralegal salary is comparable with teacher and social worker salaries.  However, on average registered nurses earn about $10,000 more per year than paralegals.

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Paralegal Certificate Continuing Education

Posted on April 19, 2011 by admin

If you have a paralegal certificate and are looking for a refresher, continuing education may be just what you are looking for.  Most professions require continuing education…for lawyers, it’s continuing legal education (CLE); for doctors, it’s continuing medical education (CME); and for accountants it’s continuing professional education (CPE) or continuing education (CE) for CPAs.  For paralegals with a paralegal certificate, continuing education is also available.

Why Should You Consider Getting Continuing Education

For some certified paralegals, continuing education is required.  So, this is not really something those paralegals will have to debate over whether to do or not it’s just a matter of finding the right courses at the right prices.  For other certified paralegals, going through continuing education classes can have the benefit of giving them the latest information in areas of practice that they work in.  The law is ever-evolving, therefore getting the latest case law updates can be crucial to a paralegals job performance.  Additionally,  if there are new areas of law that you may be asked to work in or are interested in becoming more involved in, a CE course is a good way to get some basic knowledge in that practice area.

Where To Get Continuing Education

NALA offers continuing education in various formats for those with a paralegal certificate.  The continuing education can be gained through NALA’s publications, via live seminars, or on-line.  The continuing education topics include classes in the following practice areas:

  • business/corporations;
  • elder law;
  • immigration law;
  • employment law;
  • litigation;
  • legal research;
  • real estate;
  • estate planning; and
  • ethics

IPE is another organization that offers continuing education for paralegals.  Courses offered through IPE are offered in even more types of formats which makes getting continuing education very convenient.  The formats for these courses are live seminars, live teleconferences, on demand classes, live video webcasts, audio, and course books.  Topics of study include:

  • legal writing;
  • medical malpractice;
  • ethics;
  • bankruptcy;
  • legal writing;
  • discovery;
  • foreclosure;
  • jury selection; and
  • family law

As you can see, getting continuing education for those with a paralegal certificate can prove to be a great way to refresh your knowledge and to gain knowledge in many new practice areas.

Check out these continuing education classes:


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Should Paralegal Certification Be Mandatory

Posted on April 17, 2011 by admin

Currently, paralegal certification is not mandatory; in fact, in most states (California is the only exception), the paralegal field is not required to be regulated in any way.  However, many paralegals choose to be self-regulating, adhering to standards and code of ethics of paralegal associations.

Although, paralegals cannot engage in the unauthorized practice of law, that law applies to everyone, whether you work as a paralegal or a bus driver.  But, since paralegals have more opportunity to engage in activities that may cause harm to clients, the question that is being bounced around now is whether paralegals should be required to be certified.

Pros of Mandatory Certification

Proponents of mandatory certification believe that mandatory certification will bring the deserved respect to the profession by eliminating individuals who work essentially as secretaries from being referred to as paralegals.  Also mandatory paralegal certification would establish educational and ethical guidelines, thereby raising paralegals’ standing and hopefully their pay.

Mandatory certification could also prove to be beneficial for attorneys because in most cases, they will be able to bill clients extra for a certified paralegal’s time than they can for a paralegal who has not received certification.

Cons of Mandatory Certification

Some, who do not believe that certification should be mandatory believe that government intervention in this way will harm the paralegal profession.  It’s believed that mandatory certification will probably impose limits on what work paralegals are allowed to do.  Also, there is a belief that mandatory certification is nothing more than a licensing scam and a way of controlling who attorneys are allowed to hire.  Instead of mandatory certification, many believe that regulation can be accomplished through effective supervision by the the employing attorney.

Whether paralegal certification should be mandatory is a question that will continue to be debated.  Paralegals who want to be proactive may decide to get ahead of the trend (which is probably inevitable) and go ahead and get certified.

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Advantages of Online Paralegal Training

Posted on April 8, 2011 by admin

Getting your paralegal training online has many advantages.  Let’s take a look at some of the top advantages of online paralegal training.

  • Your paralegal training can be self paced.  Many online paralegal programs will provide you with all the materials you need and allow you to go through those materials and test in your own time.  You won’t have to worry about pushing your schedule to the limit at all times.  If you have a family emergency or a family trip planned, you don’t have to worry about missing anything in class with these self-paced online paralegal programs.
  • It’s convenient.  You can get your paralegal training from the comfort of your own home.  You won’t have to worry about travel time, finding a parking space, or getting a baby sitter.
  • You have real choices.  With the wide range of programs available online, you can choose one that offers the curriculum that is right for you.  Specialization is a big key to earning the maximum income as a paralegal.  Choose the course that is what you want to specialize in can put you on the fast track to the earnings you desire.
  • Getting your paralegal training online can help you develop self-discipline.  You will have to learn to manage your time to complete assignments without a professor or anyone else pushing you.  Instead of someone else pushing you, you have to push yourself.  You will have to work sometimes when you don’t feel like working, knowing that what you doing is worth doing.
  • You can receive more individual attention from the professor.  Unlike when you’re in a classroom with fifty other students, online professor can be contacted directly by email.  Also, the number of students allowed in an online class are very limited so that the professor can see to each individual’s needs.

As you can see online paralegal training has many advantages should you elect to go this route to receive your paralegal training.

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Outlook for Paralegal Jobs

Posted on April 7, 2011 by admin
SAN DIEGO, CA - FEBRUARY 5: Job searchers in...

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The projected outlook for paralegal jobs is excellent for the next decade.  However, despite this projection of more jobs, there is also an increase in the number of individuals searching for these jobs.  As in many other careers, having experience will help paralegal in the job market.

Surveys are projecting that there will be a growth in employment for paralegals and legal assistants.  This growth is projected to be twenty-eight percent (28%) between the years of 2008 and 2018.   Fostering this growth is the fact that employers are looking to reduce costs for themselves and their clients and hiring paralegals instead of associate attorneys.

Additionally, the demand for paralegals is expected to grow because of the growth in population.  Obviously, with more people on the planet there will be an ever-increasing for legal services; especially paralegal services.

Who Will Hire Paralegals?

Law firms are the biggest employers of paralegals and will continue to be going forward.  As other groups, such as corporations and title companies, look to cut costs, they will expand their in house legal divisions, which will mean hiring more paralegal.

The new opportunities in the paralegal field will also be fueled by the retirement of legal assistants and paralegals.  Specialization will be a big key to the success of paralegals in the market for a job.  The best areas of law to specialize in will be real estate, bankruptcy, medical malpractice, and product liability.   Training will also be important for those looking for paralegal jobs.

Are Paralegal Jobs Affected By The Recession?

The legal field, like any other area, is affected by the recession because potential clients will be more selective about how they spend their discretionary income.  To that extent, paralegal jobs can also be affected in certain areas of practice.  Those affected areas are estate planning, will preparation and real estate transactions.

Conversely, there are some areas of law that thrive in a recession such as bankruptcy law and foreclosures.  In these practice areas, paralegal jobs will be safe and will even increase.

Overall, the number of paralegal jobs will enjoy a time of growth, making it a great time to become a paralegal.

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How to Become A Paralegal In California

Posted on April 7, 2011 by admin
State Bar of California

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In this post we’ll take a look at how to become a paralegal in California.  As of this writing, California is the only state that regulates paralegals.  Bill AB 1761 defines the role of a paralegal and establishes educational criteria, which include continuing education requirements.

Let’s take a look at those education criteria on how to become a paralegal in California:

(c)  A paralegal shall possess at least one of the following:

(1)  A certificate of completion of a paralegal program approved by the American Bar Association.

(2)  A certificate of completion of a paralegal program at, or a degree from, a postsecondary institution that requires the successful completion of a minimum of 24 semester, or equivalent, units in law-related courses and that has been accredited by a national regional accrediting organization or approved by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education.

(3)  A baccalaureate degree or an advanced degree in any subject, a minimum of one year of law-related experience under the supervision of an attorney who has been an active member of the State Bar of California for at least the preceding three years or who has practiced in the federal courts of this state for at least the preceding three years, and a written declaration from this attorney stating that the person is qualified to perform paralegal tasks.

(4)  A high school diploma or general equivalency diploma, a minimum of three years of law-related experience under the supervision of an attorney who has been an active member of the State Bar of California for at least the preceding three years or who has practiced in the federal courts of this state for at least the preceding three years, and a written declaration from this attorney stating that the person is qualified to perform paralegal tasks. This experience and training shall be completed no later than December 31, 2003.

(d)  Every two years, commencing January 1, 2007, any person that is working as a paralegal shall be required to certify completion of four hours of mandatory continuing legal education in legal ethics and four hours of mandatory continuing legal education in either general law or in an area of specialized law. All continuing legal education courses shall meet the requirements of Section 6070.

Certification of these continuing education requirements shall be made with the paralegal’s supervising attorney. The paralegal shall be responsible for keeping a record of the paralegal’s certifications.

As you can see, aspiring paralegals in California have to meet the same criteria seen in the How to Become a Paralegal page on this site.  However, on the job training as a path to a paralegal career is limited to those paralegals who got their start as a paralegal at least three years before 2003.  Additionally, California paralegals must have eight hours of continuing education every two years, with four of those hours being in the area of ethics.

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