If legal studies are your passion, not struggle, then you have landed on to correct page. You may have found it often difficult to get time and money for your paralegal education. Do you know there are ways of being a paralegal? Yes, they online paralegal courses that can provide you a paralegal certificate online. Today, these certificates are highly demanded and reputed and can give you a high-paying job. Today, I will share to the point information required to know about online paralegal courses. Along with it, certificates, benefits, and everything you should know. So, let me begin with it.
Table of Contents
Paralegal Certificates:
Today, these certificates are highly demanded and also have more competition to get your dream job in the field. Have you ever heard of a legal assistant? To confirm that paralegal is more than a legal assistant, getting this certificate brings you new opportunities to work with law firms.
What Are Paralegals?
Even though they are highly demanded, most people don’t have an idea about paralegals their duties. For paralegals, it is not only one option to work with lawyers. If paralegals select a double major in paralegal studies, their opportunities expand. Paralegals have to perform too many tasks that lawyers want to do. But they are unable to do because of lack of time.
Paralegals investigate, do legal, find and conduct interviews with witnesses, documentary, statistical research, draft legal documents, summarize depositions, testimonials, attend events in the court and hearing, and many more. Therefore, without paralegals, lawyers have to spend their valuable time doing these all tasks, and they become unable to find enough time for their research and all other activities.
Paralegal Courses Online:
Registering and completing paralegal courses online will provide you paralegal certificate online. Before getting your paralegal certificate, you will get an education.
Here, you learn legal research, ethics, timeline, development of the paralegal profession, formal writing, legal writing, family and litigation law, security regulation, security regulation of specific law practices, immigration, and much more legally.
Things You Have To Consider While Preferring Online Course:
There are some essential things you have to consider if you have never attended online courses before. Therefore, keep the following points in your mind.
- You require to have a high-speed internet connection at home.
- Do you want to work independently?
- Do you have the motivation?
- Have you organized?
Your Expectations From Paralegal Course:
Several certificate programs suggest students work as an intern. They can contact local lawyers and law firms for internships. As a paralegal student, you can expect the following bunch of courses from online certification programs.
- Course English 101
- Course Of Intellectual Property
- Course Of Criminal Law
- Course Of Dispute Resolution
- Course Of Introduction To Law
- Course Of Bankruptcy Law
- Course Of Civil Litigation
Types Of Paralegal Certificates:
When you have done an online course of paralegal studies, you must be aware that some firms and employers want to hire candidates with a National or at least State certificate. These certificates can provide potential and increase the skill level. Once you appear in the National Certificate exam, you prove your dedication and work ethics for the law. Two types of certificates you can get after completion of your online course.
- State Certificate:
- National Certificate
State Certificate
Getting a state certificate means you have qualified, competed, committed, and dedicated to this profession. However, a few states want you to have National Paralegal Certificate to get State Paralegal Certificate.
Some state bar associations like Florida, Texas, Ohio, and North Carolina offer a certificate. Similarly, some state professional paralegal associations like Florida, Kentucky, Delaware, Louisiana, and New Jersey offer certificates.
National Certificate:
There are three National Paralegal Professional Organizations that offer National Paralegal Certificate.
- NALS (The Association Of Legal Professionals)
- NALA (National Association Of Legal Assistants)
- NFPA (National Federation Of Paralegal Associations)
How To Increase Your Job Prospects?
We have seen some paralegals chose to get certified as legal document preparer and PACE (Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam) so that their chances to get job increases. Regarding this, you can contact your state professional paralegal association to solve your queries.
How Much Does It Cost To Get A Paralegal Certificate?
Once you achieved a paralegal certificate online, you can go for the State or National certification. But the examination fees for these certificates range between $200 to $325. However, it doesn’t include the study material and practice course that you choose. It is only an examination fee. As soon as you start your career, you have to continue legal education courses and pay for recertification. It sharpens your skills and knowledge regarding the law, and you can see your success this way in this field.
Your Duties As Paralegal Professional:
Now that you have all the legal and required certificates to become a successful, trustworthy, and legitimate paralegal, you must know what duties you should be performing in your professional career. What I observed is that paralegal professionals have grown in the past four decades. It could be possible because most lawyers could not handle and perform each task they need to complete their legal research and case. Because of skilled, practiced, certified, and dedicated paralegals, the field has expanded, and there have been increased opportunities for new paralegals.
Paralegals, as an essential part, provide legal services and assistance to law firms and lawyers. The tasks that you have to perform as a paralegal will vary. It depends upon employers, day-to-day tasks, your expertise, and skills. However, the National Association Of Legal Assistant’s 2018 Utilization and Compensation Surgery has listed the topmost duties that a paralegal has to perform.
-
Calculate legal deadlines and fill out documents.
-
Another duty is drafting.
-
Use computerized systems and automation systems to prepare cases.
-
Manage cases, and coordinate all aspects of all cases, to ensure appropriate steps have been taken within deadlines.
-
Response to documents, discoveries, and draft pleadings.
-
Checking facts is also a duty.
-
You have to perform legal research.
-
You have to attend office matters.
-
You require to contact and conference with your clients.
-
You have to analyze and summarize documents.
Your Career As A Paralegal:
As per the research done by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is a 10% growth in the employment rate for paralegals, and as a paralegal, you have to spend 40-45 hours per week at your work office. During your professional career, you have to spend even more time because of the pressure of deadlines and workloads. You will be traveling to collect required information and documents related to cases. You may need to attend trials, and you may have to conduct and disposition with lawyers. They can expect you to perform administrative tasks, become a fast-mover, and work parallel on various cases. Below given is a full list of job responsibilities of paralegals.
- You need to prepare and assist.
- You have to sign and draft legal correspondence.
- You have to arrange and take interviews with clients under the attorney’s supervision.
- You need to plan, develop, and manage cases.
- You require to prepare a summary and proofread the documents.
- You have to handle some legal functions line execution of wills, depositions, real estate closings, court/administrative hearings, and other trials.
- You have to work for locating and intervening witnesses.
As A Professional Paralegal, You Should Have The Following:
- Excellent communication skills.
- Professional and formal writing skill is required.
- Skills to handle negotiation and conflicts.
- Knowledge of legal things like only permitted attorneys can give legal advice.
Salary Expectation As A Paralegal:
When you have achieved a paralegal certificate online, practiced by working as interns, got State or National Certificates, and have gathered the right knowledge, your salary should be higher. It is what every professional wants. Therefore, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics said that the average annual income as the salary of paralegals is approximately 55,020$, and it will increase by the end of 2029 because of its efficiency and capabilities to handle workloads.
Still, it is lesser than the lawyers, but paralegals have an open market to seek their place. You may have got excited hearing the average annual salary of paralegals.
Advantages Of Getting An Online Paralegal Certificate:
You know that you can go to law schools and achieve certificates. You can also use traditional campuses, but you have to attend your schools or undergraduate college. Most students have to work for their homes. Considering this type of inconvenience in attending a full-time or part-time law school, you get the following benefits of a paralegal certificate online.
- You can save your dollars spent on gas, parking, and commuting.
- It gives you flexibility throughout the working weeks.
- There is no need to step out of your home in terrible weather. You don’t have to miss your classes whenever you or your family members are sick.
- There is the flexibility to travel while completing coursework.
Final Thoughts:
Do you want to get a paralegal certificate online? If you have decided to become a professional paralegal, you must keep in mind all the above-discussed points, duties, facts, skills you should have, and benefits of an online paralegal certificate to boost your career. If you found this guide tutorial informative, and if you got the right knowledge that was necessary, share your opinions.
