A paralegal does much of what an attorney does. He drafts letters and pleadings, does deposition summaries and interviews clients. Paralegals also negotiate medical liens. In the field of civil litigation, a paralegal writes discovery documents, follows a trial checklist and prepares all pretrial documents. In the field of Workers' Compensation, a paralegal can also represent clients in court in the capacity of a hearing representative.
Bachelor's DegreeA Bachelor's Degree in Paralegal Studies can be obtained online. Many four-year state colleges and universities offer this online major. There are a multitude of online private universities that offer this online degree, as well. The benefit of obtaining an online Bachelor's Degree in Paralegal Studies is that, if a paralegal eventually decides to become an attorney, his Bachelor's Degree will provide the easiest transition to law school. All the law school applicant needs is a qualifying score on the LSAT for law school entrance.
Associate of Arts DegreeCommunity colleges offer an Associate's Degree of Paralegal Studies online. The largest portion of a paralegal's job is preparing court forms and pleadings. So an online paralegal course of study lends itself perfectly this particular major.
Paralegal CertificateA paralegal certificate can be obtained online through a university's extension program or private online school. Usually this involves several very condensed core subjects and two or three areas of legal specialization, such as Probate Law, Civil Litigation or Family Law. In these specialties, the paralegal student undergoes a very intense course of study online.
Pros and ConsA paralegal's salary is well under that of an attorney for doing much of the same work. Also, a paralegal must have a good eye for detail because legal filings are replete with dates, statutes and deadlines. A positive for obtaining a paralegal degree online is that it is a good stepping stone to law school. Many law firms will pay a paralegal's law school costs, in exchange for the paralegal's agreement to work for that firm for a set amount of time afterwards.
There are a number of places that you can go to take paralegal courses online. You can go to Carrington at www.carrington.edu/California-Online or nationalparalegal.edu/.
Many community colleges do indeed offer paralegal courses. As this is a popular program some will even offer online paralegal classes as an alternative to classroom learning.
I think it would be much easier if you browsed through the internet on how to become a paralegal online. Some great online colleges that offer paralegal courses are http://www.uscareerinstitute.com andhttp://nationalparalegal.edu/.
Paralegal courses are often offered at community colleges or technical schools such as CDI college. To become a paralegal one does not need a University degree.
You can find paralegal courses at universities, community colleges, and online institutions. Look for programs that are approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) for quality assurance. Consider factors such as accreditation, curriculum, cost, and flexibility when choosing a program.
A school I think you should check out is National Paralegal College. You can earn your Associates or Bachelors degree and they offer a course study leading to a certificate in paralegal studies. They can also help students who want to complete their training and enter the market as soon as possible.
Paralegal studies are available from most vocational schools that offer online courses. They are one of the most accomodating professions lending to online study. However, if you want to become a lawyer, you will still need to attend law school and become board certified, so getting that degree online is currently not possible.
To earn a Paralegal Certification online, you can enroll in an accredited online paralegal studies program. These programs typically offer courses in legal research, writing, ethics, and more. After completing the required coursework, you may need to pass a certification exam to become a certified paralegal.
You can sign up for online paralegal courses through websites like Coursera, Udemy, or edX. Many community colleges and universities also offer online paralegal training programs. Be sure to research the program's accreditation, course content, and cost before enrolling.
One could study for a paralegal certificate at the local library. If one has access to a university or college, that library would be an even better source, particularly if it is a law school.
You can become a paralegal by enrolling in a community college, university, or online institution that offers a paralegal studies program. Look for programs accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) or approved by the American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE) for a quality education. Additionally, some schools also offer certificate programs for aspiring paralegals.
The paralegal certificate program can be studied best in National Paralegal College. The web site is http://nationalparalegal.edu/Certificate.aspx which is demonstrative and informative.