You heard the song, “Promises, Promises”, right?  It is vitally important that before you sign up for paralegal school that you ask the following of the admissions counselor:

1.                 What type of placement service do you offer after I graduate?; and

2.                 May I have the names of three (3) of your recent graduates who went on to placement in paralegal jobs?

If they have a placement service, fine.  If they refuse to provide names of former graduates, beware.  It is important that you contact former graduates before you commit to the school.

Please be very aware that paralegal schools sometimes neglect to mention that you will be starting at the bottom after graduation. 

In fact, unless you possess the technical skills (typing, dictation, etc.), it will be quite difficult to sell yourself to a future employer. 

If you live in large city like Manhattan (I grew up 15 minutes from NYC)  where there are many large law firms, it may be possible to “land” a job as a new paralegal and the law firm may even provide a mentoring program. 

The mentoring of paralegals is unfortunately not the “norm” in most law firms.  In fact, when law firms hire attorneys right out of law school, it is rare that any mentoring is provided.  It is truly a “fly by the seat of your pants” method of learning.

Again, this is why it is important to connect with legal secretaries, legal assistants and/or paralegals in your city through an association so that you get a true “lay of the land” and perhaps make an important connection to a future job.

Don’t sign up for school until you’ve met with the folks in the Admissions Department.  Ask the questions I’ve mentioned above.

To Certify or Not to Certify (for Paralegals)

This subject is always hotly debated on the various legal list-servs on the Internet. 

Certification is available through the National Association of Legal Assistants (www.nala.org) or through the National Federation of Paralegals Association (www.paralegals.org).  Visit both of these websites to see what the certification requirements are.

Once you’ve landed your first job in the legal field, I would encourage you to get a certificate in your particular field.  Not only does it increase your self-worth and but it also makes an impact on your resume.

I simply took an online course to obtain my certificate through the University of Southern Colorado at Pueblo.  While my certificate is something I am very proud of, it is the experience I’ve gained over the last 15 years that makes me a valuable employee.  The people who hire me as a  paralegal know that I can immediately sit down at the desk and begin my work – no training needed.

Another organization for legal professionals may be found at  www.nals.org (National Association of Legal Secretaries).  Visit their website for more information.