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Started By
Message
re: Becoming a paralegal
Posted on 11/14/21 at 8:10 am to Prominentwon
Posted on 11/14/21 at 8:10 am to Prominentwon
I'm a paralegal. I started off as a receptionist in a law firm and worked my way up to becoming a legal assistant. After several years I decided to become a paralegal and got my AA. Then several years after that I decided to become a certified paralegal. I work in family law and love it. Cant stand personal injury, workers comp, etc. Too boring. Litigation is where the action is.
I agree with others that if she has or goes for a BA then she might as well become an attorney as that is why most paralegals get that degree. Just tell her to make sure she picks the right field to go in. She will most likely need to work in the different fields to find out which one her passion will be. Out of all the fields I tried, family law is the right fit for me.
For another option, tell her to look into becoming a court reporter. That would put her in the courtroom and depositions. Again, that is where the action is. I thought about that as well but due to the hours the schooling required, I couldnt hold a full time job and go to classes. In my state, this required me to work a full work day at a law firm and then go to classes 5 days a week from 530-1030pm. It may be different where you live.
I agree with others that if she has or goes for a BA then she might as well become an attorney as that is why most paralegals get that degree. Just tell her to make sure she picks the right field to go in. She will most likely need to work in the different fields to find out which one her passion will be. Out of all the fields I tried, family law is the right fit for me.
For another option, tell her to look into becoming a court reporter. That would put her in the courtroom and depositions. Again, that is where the action is. I thought about that as well but due to the hours the schooling required, I couldnt hold a full time job and go to classes. In my state, this required me to work a full work day at a law firm and then go to classes 5 days a week from 530-1030pm. It may be different where you live.
1
Posted on 11/14/21 at 8:15 am to Slevin7
quote:
Law school is 3 years.
I feel like she may not be right for this.
I really hope you aren't a lawyer. For real.
Posted on 11/14/21 at 8:18 am to RogerTheShrubber
Roger, did you know that law school is three years?
Posted on 11/14/21 at 8:19 am to Dawgirl
quote:
Dawgirl
Any hot action stories with the attorneys hat you’d care to share?
Posted on 11/14/21 at 8:20 am to Mo Jeaux
Uh, no. 
Posted on 11/14/21 at 8:21 am to Prominentwon
It's basically on the job training. There are degree programs but they're not really looked highly upon.
At least in my experience.
At least in my experience.
Posted on 11/14/21 at 8:23 am to theOG
quote:
She should find a paralegal opening and apply. I always preferred to teach paralegals from scratch rather than them pretending they knew anything because they took a class at Delgado.
Basically this. You don't get paid shite here in SWLA though.
Posted on 11/14/21 at 8:23 am to Mo Jeaux
quote:
Roger, did you know that law school is three years?
What I do know is this dude has some terrible reading comprehension issues.
Maybe you do too. OP wasn't talking about law school.
Posted on 11/14/21 at 8:25 am to OysterPoBoy
quote:
I still don’t understand how that doesn’t mean a lawyer in a wheelchair.
I was in a lawyer's office one day putting together a joint bench book for an upcoming trial with his #1 paralegal/secretary and I heard him in the other room yelling at others "PARA. LEGAL. PARA MEANS "TO HELP". I AM THE LEGAL."
Posted on 11/14/21 at 8:25 am to SlowFlowPro
quote:
It's basically on the job training.
I agree with this. I breezed through the paralegal courses because I already knew due to the job experience. And I didnt have to take all of the courses because I worked for a law firm. There is a difference between a paralegal and legal assistant though. Most paralegals only work on discovery and some times goes to court with the attorneys. Legal assistants work on scheduling and other minor tasks. My employer considers me as a "hybrid." I do both and get paid very well for it.
Posted on 11/14/21 at 8:26 am to RogerTheShrubber
Maybe I do. You probably reed gooder then eye due. What wuz he talking bout?
Posted on 11/14/21 at 8:28 am to Dawgirl
quote:
There is a difference between a paralegal and legal assistant though.
Maybe in Biglaw
In smaller firms (which employ the vast majority of paralegals) "paralegal" means (1) receptionist (2) legal assistant/secretary and (3) paralegal.
Posted on 11/14/21 at 8:29 am to SlowFlowPro
I disagree. I work for a small firm and we have a receptionist, legal assistants and a paralegal (me).
Edit: The attorney I work for is the only family law atty in our firm so thats why I am a "hybrid." The other attorneys are PI attorneys who think they need more staff.
Edit: The attorney I work for is the only family law atty in our firm so thats why I am a "hybrid." The other attorneys are PI attorneys who think they need more staff.
This post was edited on 11/14/21 at 8:32 am
Posted on 11/14/21 at 8:31 am to Mo Jeaux
quote:
What wuz he talking bout?
Well, the OP innocently asked about becoming a paralegal, its in the subject line, and someone decided that it's probably not for her because she don't want to spend "8 years" in school for it.
"Being a nurse isn't for you because you don't want to spend 10 years becoming a doctor" would be a good analogy.
Posted on 11/14/21 at 9:00 am to Prominentwon
From my experience they look like a lawyer but get paid less. I’ve been a runner before.
Posted on 11/14/21 at 9:12 am to RogerTheShrubber
quote:
Well, the OP innocently asked about becoming a paralegal, its in the subject line, and someone decided that it's probably not for her because she don't want to spend "8 years" in school for it.
The OP later mentioned 8 years to become a lawyer. That’s why others have been posting about that. The OP was just exaggerating for effect though. Posted on 11/14/21 at 9:15 am to Prominentwon
quote:
Her experience has been in social work
Tell her to become an lcsw and make multiples of what she will as a paralegal.
Posted on 11/14/21 at 9:21 am to Mo Jeaux
quote:
The OP later mentioned 8 years to become a lawyer.
Its clear he said she didn't want to become a lawyer. Some people don't want to go to school to get a degree and law school. They work, might take classes at night.
This just highlights the difference between reading, and reading comprehension.
Posted on 11/14/21 at 10:17 am to Prominentwon
I have undergrad and graduate degrees and a paralegal certificate from LSU. I went the paralegal route while trying to decide if I wanted to commit to law school. I went to work for an insurance defense firm and after three years I was bored. I joined the local paralegal association and had access to their job bank. That is how I found my second job working for the State as a paralegal for the Public Defender Board. I resigned my position when we started a family. Fast forward ten years and the partner I worked for at the defense firm called me up and asked if I was ready to go back to work because he wanted to hire me as a contract paralegal for a business he started. I now get to work from home, set my own hours and truly love what I do. I do a lot of reading and research. We offer online tools for trial and appellate court case law research and provide the most up to date and comprehensive personal injury options available to Louisiana lawyers. We also do case specific quantum analysis. In addition to understanding legal issues I have also had to learn how to code and create online content. There are a lot of different jobs out there for paralegals that don’t require sitting in an office all day doing mundane secretarial tasks.
Posted on 11/14/21 at 10:31 am to RogerTheShrubber
quote:
Its clear he said she didn't want to become a lawyer. Some people don't want to go to school to get a degree and law school. They work, might take classes at night.
This just highlights the difference between reading, and reading comprehension.
Holy shite, Roger. The OP expressly stated that his wife already has a college degree.
I wouldn’t be lecturing people on reading comprehension while simultaneously demonstrating that yours isn’t too good.
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