The Cash Trio

There are hundreds of professional organizations that provide resources and support to their paralegal members but the field is really dominated by a handful that have the clout and membership to influence rules and make changes within the industry. A few of those top professional organizations include: the American Alliance of Paralegals (AAPI), the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) and the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) which combined have an estimated 35,000 plus members all across the United States. While the AAPI primary purpose is providing the best paralegal training and educational programs possible the NFPA and NALA work to influence and guide the language and it’s used within the profession.

Essential fact-finding criteria to keep in mind when analyzing a paralegal program:

1. Paralegal degree programs need to teach both legal concepts and theory alongside usable, hands-on job skills. A solid paralegal school curriculum should also stress a wide range of topics from legal contracts and litigation to legal writing, legal research, torts and ethics. The really exceptional paralegal schools will focus on the entire development of their students’ by refining and honing their critical thinking abilities and by offering them the opportunity to gain valuable real-world experience through and internship or practicum.

2. Who are the individuals making up the faculty and the administration of the paralegal school you are looking to attend? Does the curriculum program director have a law degree or minimally have they had solid field experience along with an advanced degree in some aspect of paralegal education? Are the instructors considered to be “experts” in their sphere of influence as a result of their field experience and educational background?

3. An ever increasing number of paralegal colleges now offer online paralegal programs. Granted, online training has become more popular over the past few years, primarily because of its’ convenience and cost savings but regardless of the reasons why it has become so popular you must determine if it’s right for you. A key factor you may want to ask yourself is, “Do I have the ambition and focus to complete the homework and watch all the lectures on my own?” If no, look for the nearest campus and if yes, getting your paralegal degree online may be the best thing since sliced bread.

Even if down the road your goal is to become a lawyer, starting your professional life in law as a paralegal is a wise initial step. Earning your paralegal degree will allow you to get a foothold into the legal field, which in turn will expose additional opportunities. And then, down the road you can make a more informed decision as to whether or not to pursue your law degree or to keep working as a paralegal. In any case, opportunities will be many.