I’m considering getting a paralegal certificate?
By - Last updated: Monday, May 3, 2010 - Save & Share - One Comment
ive recently graduated from a community college w/ an associates i Humanities, im planning on transfering it to a BA program. im thinking about being an attorny in the future, but i need to find a job that pays more then $8/hr im hella broke!! do any employers hire people as paralegals with only an associates in liberal arts and train them on the job, or do i need to take a certificate program? would it make sence to start working as a paralegal to prepare for a future carreer as an attorny? thanks for your help!
Comment from Steve in Kansas City
Time May 3, 2010 at 6:45 am
Yes, many attorneys are willing to train someone who is interested in learning about the law and how a law office works. I would suggest going to a local college that has a paralegal program. Often they will have job postings with P/T, F/T and various types of practices (family law, litigation etc). I would say you could easily get $8-10 an hour, maybe more.
Also, if you are in a larger city, there are temp agencies that specialize in legal staffing. You might call them and see if they have anything entry-level.
Paralegal work is a very good stepping stone to becoming an attorney. It gives you a good idea of how a law office works, which they don’t really teach in law school.
Here is a link to ABA certified paralegal programs where you might be able to find job postings:
http://www.abanet.org/legalservices/paralegals/directory/