If I were looking into becoming a paralegal, I would want to talk to someone who is currently a practicing paralegal or someone who has had experience in this capacity.

So I spoke to a friend who has a diverse background and has actually worked in two different areas of law as a paralegal. She offered great information that I think would be helpful to anyone considering earning a degree as a paralegal. These are her perspectives on a career as a paralegal:

What personal characteristics should a paralegal have?

1.    Strong communication skills
2.    Creative Organizational skills
3.    Patience, Patience, Patience
4.    Multi-tasking Ability in a high stress environment

What is it like to work in a law firm as a paralegal?

Being a paralegal is very much a team effort – between the paralegal and his or her attorney or attorneys.

Paralegals communicate heavily with clients, sometimes preparing witnesses for trial, tracking & gathering evidence, reading every report and the research associated with a case, making sure that the billing goes out, keeping positive communication open with court personnel and other law offices, preparing legal briefs as needed, finding witnesses and preparing subpoenas, and plenty more.

In large law firms, there are whole departments paid to prepare & send out the billing & even subpoenas. In smaller law firms, the paralegal will be responsible for most of these duties.

What do you consider to be among the most important abilities of a successful paralegal?

The ability to calendar upcoming deadlines and events, as well as develop a filing system that makes things easy and fast to locate for both the paralegal and attorney as well as the office staff.

What are some of the career options if one earns a paralegal degree?

The legal field has almost endless possibilities for employment and can be deeply gratifying when unfairness is rectified or a client’s rights are protected. Paralegal jobs are available in all branches of the military, in the FBI, CIA, Justice Department, Federal Attorney’s Offices, District Attorneys, Prosecuting Attorneys as well as private practices in real estate, entertainment, wills & estates, criminal, etc., as well as many, many nonprofit groups protecting the rights of people & animals.

How can one prepare for a career as a Paralegal?

To be competitive you should earn an associate’s degree and/or bachelors. If the program you choose does not require an internship, it would be wise to seek out a law firm where you can practice as an intern anyway. This provides unparalleled education and experience and also makes attaining a position as a paralegal much easier.

Accredited-Online-Colleges.com is a great place to begin exploring your options for attaining a degree online to become a paralegal. Whether you want to begin by earning your Associate Degree in Paralegal Studies so you can get into the field sooner or you want to go straight for the Bachelor of Science in Paralegal studies, you can find an online program that will fit your needs. You can also earn your Master’s in Paralegal Studies online.

Tags: Accredited Online Colleges, Associate of Paralegal Studies, Bachelor of Paralegal Studies, Masters of Paralegal Studies, Online Paralegal Degrees