Pursuing an education in law leads down a lengthy but worthwhile path, whereas the road to a paralegal career, as one of the fastest growing careers in the nation, is one of the shortest yet most rewarding you can take. Paralegals perform a large range of challenging tasks in the field of law, and many that are the same as lawyers, and students can receive a paralegal degree in a much shorter time than would an aspiring lawyer.
A paralegal is a legal assistant who works for a governmental agency, law office, etc., in which a lawyer is employed in order to assist those lawyers with various aspects of their work. Their duties range from helping lawyers prepare for trials to interviewing clients to drafting contracts and agreements. Paralegals are valuable assets to the field of law, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected that the occupation will grow by 33% by 2010, leaving a lot of room for many to take advantage of this career.
A paralegal degree can be attained in just two short years through a community college or via a certificate degree as well as bachelor’s and master’s. However, the primary, and most popular, route to acquiring a paralegal degree is by receiving an Associate of Science/Arts/etc. (depending on the school). There are approximately 1,000 institutions in which you can receive a paralegal degree and many that will offer quality education, financial aid to help you through school, and professional guidance from industry professionals. In addition, many schools that offer paralegal degrees, such as The Academy of Court Reporting and Technology of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, qualify its students to go directly to work following graduation. Two years is the minimum that is required for this worthwhile career and the capabilities that it can allow you are ever-increasing.