My major is Paralegal Studies and I expect to graduate with an Associates of Arts degree in December of this year. Many years ago, as an investigator for both a private company and a county agency, I was introduced to the legal field. Recently, I was awarded the opportunity to attend college, so I decided I wanted to reenter the legal profession as a paralegal. The paralegal profession appeals to me, because I enjoy the processes of developing a case, as well as its legal aspects. A paralegal is involved in a case from the beginning to the end; from the initial client interview to assisting the attorney during the client’s trial or the settlement process. My goal is to become a paralegal for a solo practitioner or a small firm in my local area who represent clients in different areas of the law. The paralegal profession developed as legal secretaries assumed additional duties to help attorneys with their workload. The paralegal performs legal tasks under the supervision of an attorney that maximizes attorneys' productivity and cost efficiency in the delivery of legal services. Paralegals work in many different types of law firms, corporations or government agencies in many areas of law (Hollingshead). All duties performed by a paralegal are under the supervision of an attorney who is responsible for the paralegal’s conduct. In fact, the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Paralegals define paralegals or legal assistants [used synonymously] as a person qualified by education, training or work experiences, who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, government agency, or other entity who performs specific delegated legal substantive work for which a lawyer is responsible (ABA). In class, we learne... ... middle of paper ... ...cent between 2008 and 2018, which is much faster that the average for all occupations. Paralegal jobs in some areas of law are adversely affected by the business cycle and recessions, but areas such as bankruptcy may not be affected (Bureau). My internship with a bankruptcy attorney confirms this assumption. A paralegal must possess people skills, legal research and writing skills, investigative skills and strong organizational skills to be successful in this profession. Cassandra Oliver, a senior paralegal at a large company states paralegals are organized, detailed, flexible and possess the ability to multitask (Hollingshead). As an investigator, I utilized many of the skills needed, and through classes, developed the legal research and writing skills. I will learn the ethical responsibilities that my internship has not taught me, in my ethics class this fall.
A Paralegal is defined by the American Bar Association as a person, qualified by education, training or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible. Paralegals work under direct supervision of an attorney and follow the same ethical rules of the ABA as a lawyer does. ABA Rule 5.3, states that a lawyer must give such assistants appropriate instruction and supervision concerning the ethical aspects of their employment, particularly regarding the obligation not to disclose information relating to representation of the client, and should be responsible for their work product. Per the State B...
In a Lawyer/Paralegal ratio, the Lawyer carries the insurance and is solely responsible for the actions of the Paralegal.
Paralegals have become an essential part of today's legal system, and as the profession becomes one of the leading and fastest growing occupations in the U.S. economy; these individuals perform delegated tasks under the supervision of attorneys. Education has played an important part on this matter; it has facilitated this development by allowing lawyers to use these skills professionals as agents to delegate specific tasks such as legal research, gathering of information and the drafting of specific legal documents under the supervision and final approval of their principals. This has been very significant because now; we can enjoy a speedy process in a cumbersome legal system. From en economic standpoint, it has also been beneficial by decreasing the substantial amount of the legal cost a firm could incur if only lawyers were allowed to perform this kind work.
A Florida Registered Paralegal is a person who is qualified and has gone through training, education and work experience to work under the supervision of a lawyer. He or she is there to help the attorney with drafting documents, legal research, legal investigations, contacting clients, and interviewing clients. The bill says that the requirements of the bill are “the person has to have prescribed education and experience, and have the prescribed certifications”. In order for a person to be eligible to be a Florida Registered Paralegal they have to have met one of the following education and work experience. They have to have a bachelor’s degree in paralegal plus a minimum of one year of paralegal work experience or a person can have an associate degree plus a minimum of two years of paralegal experience. There has been a lot debate over the bill some people think the bill is helping the paralegal while others think it’s just a
Criticisms of lawyers are the topic in Richard A. Wasserstrom's article "Lawyers as Professionals: Some Moral Issues." Wasserstrom broke this topic into two main areas of discussion. The first suggests that lawyers operate with essentially no regard for any negative impact of their efforts on the world at large. Analysis of the relationship that exists between the lawyer and their client was the second topic of discussion. "Here the charge is that it is the lawyer-client relationship which is morally objectionable because it is a relationship which the lawyer dominates and in which the lawyer typically, and perhaps inevitably, treats the client in both an impersonal and a paternalistic fashion."
College graduates or working adults who want to re-invent themselves should consider a paralegal degree. The paralegal field is rapidly growing and become an ideal choice for individuals who want a stable and exciting career.
The paralegal field is thought to be a high paced glorious career of working alongside an attorney and getting recognition for their work. In reality a paralegal job is nothing like Erin Brockovich (A movie where a paralegal was able to investigate and played an immense part in winning a large case) envisioned from the movie. Becoming a paralegal is appealing because it allows a quick entrance into a professional career field and offers a wide range of daily and career experiences. However, the work-life balance can be poor, the career path often stagnates without continuing education, and the pay is insufficient for the work load. Also, while there are a wide range of paralegal jobs there is also competition and an applicant must possess the ability to step right into the role with little or no training. While expecting much of the work to be comparable to administrative work and document reading.
Although the legal profession is a single discourse community, it is made up of many smaller discourse communities. This is so because while all lawyers share the same broad goals of the legal profession and have a general knowledge and expertise in all areas of the law, most lawyers after graduating from law school and passing the bar exam specialize in a particular area of law. This specialization requires the lawyer to go beyond the broad concepts of law as a whole and to become knowledgeable and proficient in the sometimes minute details of a more specific area of law. Even then, some lawyers will go even further to focus on one aspect or another of that particular area of law. This results in most lawyers being members of many even smal...
The Paralegal Professional, A reference to the source of legal information chapter 1 and lettures from class powerpoints.
Becoming a Paralegal can be a difficult task if you do not spend time researching your career choice. Enjoying researching and preparing for trial is just a few of the responsibilities needed to become a criminal paralegal.
There happens to be many legal duties of a criminal justice lawyer. For starters, criminal defense lawyers have a duty to keep all of the discussion between them and their client completely confidential. This is often referred to as
The United States Constitution gives us the right of due process under the Fifth Amendment. The right to an attorney is something that should never be taken away. So how do attorneys help their clients? What standards are set to protect them? There are strict guidelines that attorneys must follow to avoid legal misconduct. These standards are stated by the American Bar Association in the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct. It is very important that attorneys decide carefully before taking on a case for many reasons. They must remember that they have to carefully consider the needs and problems of their clients and uphold their ethical responsibilities to their profession and the criminal justice system. It is when a lawyer does not balance the needs of the client with the ethical aspects of his or her profession that misconduct can occur.
After receiving my criminal justice degree from Washington State University, I plan on going to law school. I plan on applying to almost all Californian law school and UW. I yearn to go to Stanford, UCLA, USC, or UC San Diego in order to become a criminal defense attorney. I strive to arm myself with great knowledge and insights in hopes to make a difference in the disastrous criminal justice system we have today. I want to stand up for the accused. For the people who everyone believes they’re guilty, when they’re innocent. I want to be that person who fights for the people who have the world and government resources against them. Each day of my career honoring the sixth amendments hopes and promises. Willing to devote my time and hard work to this form of patriotism and symbolism for the freedom of our country.
Perhaps one of the most difficult aspects of the practice of law is learning to be a lawyer. Virtually every new lawyer today is a graduate of law school, a much dreaded, but fulfilling journey to practicing law. Modern law schools differ greatly from their earlier counterpart, in that many more requirements and responsibilities exist. In colonial times, students pursuing a career in law would enter institutions for instruction of the law, and would automatically become qualified to practice law in the courts after a few years of study. Today, however, becoming a lawyer takes much more training, rigorous work and effort, and many years of studying in order to take a bar exam of which passage represents qualification. There is much more consideration concerning who is admitted, what kind of curriculums are taught, how exams are offered, what kinds affiliation exist, how much law schools differ from one another, and what it ultimately takes to be fully competent as a practicing attorney.
Career as a lawyer is very respectful as they serve to maintain the law and order. They are responsible for providing justice to the innocent and punishment to the offenders. Career as Lawyer on one side is challenging and risky but on the other side, it is prestigious and honorable as well.