The American Bar Association’s (ABA) member group, the Standing Committee on Paralegals, uses ABA standards to approve education programs for professionals in the field. Education programs for those in the paralegal field must seek approval through the Standing Committee’s Approval Commission, which determines whether an educational program meets the rigorous standards of the American Bar Association. … [Read more...]
How to Write a Paralegal Resume
November 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Paralegals face stiff competition for jobs. This guide to writing a paralegal resume will help paralegals to write an eye catching resume that will get you noticed and get a job interview. Personal Contact Information At the top of the resume you should include your personal contact information. This includes your first and last name, your home address, contact phone numbers and an e-mail address. Look at … [Read more...]
Federal Paralegal Requirements
November 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Paralegals are also referred to as “legal assistants.” The primary duties of this non-lawyer professional is to assist with legal services, as assigned by their employer, a board certified, qualified lawyer. In the United States, paralegals are not subject to federal, state or local government regulations as with some jurisdictions outside the US such as Canada. Therefore paralegals are not regarded as officers … [Read more...]
Government Paralegal Jobs
October 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Working as a paralegal in government tends to operate a bit differently than on the private side. While many government offices follow the traditional model of private law offices where paralegals are assigned to specific attorneys and work as their support, right-hand, government personnel processes force differences in the way such staff operate. For those looking for a paralegal career in the public arena, … [Read more...]
Paralegal Niches
October 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Many attorneys focus largely on one area of the law and need a paralegal with expertise in that niche to perform the bulk of the work in the office while the attorney focuses on going to court. Bankruptcy Bankruptcy is a legal niche area where it is possible for a trained paralegal to do nearly all the work, other than representing the client in bankruptcy court. A paralegal with expertise can screen most … [Read more...]
Why Lawyers Need Paralegals
September 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Gone are the days when a solo attorney can generate enough income on his own--enter the Paralegal, also known as a Legal Assistant. More and more attorneys are turning to paralegals to assist and support them and generate more money and clients. Attorneys often hire a legal assistant to do administrative tasks as well as legal tasks. It is All About Billable Hours If an attorney works forty hours per week, … [Read more...]
Paralegal Job Market
September 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Paralegals are in Strong Demand The paralegal profession has undergone major changes during the last few years. Some states have even seen court proceedings to change the job title, duties, the skills, and educational requirements. This has been largely due to unhappy attorneys who have found paralegals taking some of their workload as well as their net income. This is particularly true in the areas of family law, … [Read more...]
Top 5 Skills of a Paralegal
September 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
A Paralegal is a professional assistant of the qualified lawyers in their official work, used in most of the jurisdictions of United States and many other countries. Paralegals have no official status in US as neither are they authorized by the government, nor any official agency nor they are officers of the court or subject to rules of conduct of the courts. 5 top skills for a paralegal professional 1. Reading … [Read more...]
Paralegal vs Lawyer
September 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment
What's the difference between a Paralegal and a Lawyer? Let's find out... A Paralegal As defined by most jurisdictions refers to an individual who assists a lawyer in his or her responsibilities, usually, referred to as a legal assistant. A Lawyer A lawyer refers to a person who practices law by performing practical application of legal concepts and the related knowledge in solving given individual disputes in … [Read more...]
Paralegal Advancement Opportunities
September 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment
What advancement/ promotions opportunities are available for the person who works as a paralegal, also known as a legal assistant? 1) Paralegal Advancement Possibilities Although legal assistant cannot automatically receive promotions to careers that require a license— such as carrying out research and analysis, representing a client and giving legal advice, and signing documents— they often find that law … [Read more...]