California careers: becoming a paralegal.
Becoming a paralegal or legal assistant in the state of California may be a good career move, considering that employment growth is projected to be "much faster than average" in this field, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In California, where a paralegal is among the top 100 professions in the state, the market for these positions may become increasingly competitive. California is currently the only state that regulates paralegals through a bill called AB 1761, which defines the role of a paralegal/legal assistant and establishes educational criteria, including continuing-education requirements. For advancement toward this career choice, there are many paralegal programs available through colleges that lead to either a certificate, associate's degree, or even a bachelor's or master's degree in paralegal studies. Whether you prefer to work in a private law firm, a corporate office or own a business as a freelance legal assistant, there are many options to catapult your career as a paralegal.
Instructions
1. Become familiar with industry terminology, as well as with current legal practices, codes, regulations and laws as they pertain to your specialized area. Sites such as ca.gov and oal.ca.gov are good resources to research appropriate codes and regulations for California. Visit sites such as lawguru.com for a list of legal terms you should know. Search out legal software programs on the Internet to become proficient in the computer tools that are used in the industry. Some attorneys may train paralegals on the job or hire interns with no legal experience; other entrants may have transferable skills and a background in another field (e.g., criminal justice) that may be relevant to the role.
2. Find a program that suits your individual needs and specialized area of interest. California laws regulate certain educational requirements that are needed to be considered a paralegal. Many paralegal students start off attending a community college such as Cerritos Community College, which offers a two-year program in paralegal studies that leads to an associate's degree upon completion. Other schools, including John F. Kennedy University, offer a four-year program that awards a bachelor's degree in legal studies. Search abanet.org for a comprehensive list of schools that have been approved by the American Bar Association (ABA).
3. Become certified. Consider becoming a certified legal assistant (CLA) or registered paralegal (RP), which are not mandatory to work as a paralegal but will provide an advantage over other applicants and give additional credibility when seeking employment. The CLA designation is awarded by the National Association of Legal Assistants to those who pass the two-day exam administered by the Certifying Board for Legal Assistants. An RP designation is given to individuals who have already completed a bachelor's degree and passed the Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE) administered by the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA). Other options include the Advanced Paralegal Certification, which is awarded after you complete a curriculum-based program offered on the Internet. Also available is the California Advanced Specialist (CAS) certification, awarded if you pass a four-hour examination in a specialty field.
4. Stay current with all continuing-education requirements beyond your initial training. All paralegals in California must complete four hours of mandatory continuing education in ethics every three years, as well as courses in general or specialized law every two years.
Tags: legal assistant, associate degree, bachelor degree, codes regulations, continuing-education requirements, Legal Assistants
