Entry-Level Positions as a Paralegal
Law seems to be a daunting career to embark on, but if you take some time reviewing possible routes, you will learn that anything is possible! A great first step to a fulfilling legal career is enrolling in a career program as a paralegal. Paralegals are the legal assistants that work alongside attorneys, helping them perform their regular duties.
This could include clerical tasks such as office maintenance and conducting research to compiling and contacting witnesses or reviewing precedent cases. The right mindset and work ethic can make any career particularly rewarding, especially paralegal studies.
If you have always desired to work in the legal field, but lacked time, education, or even the funds, a solution is available when you gain a legal assistant certification through online training. With the right training, you can increase your chances of gaining an entry-level position working for a respected law firm in your community. Online learning courses will help propel your career, so take action! Below is a list of entry-level positions that you can attain upon completion of a career training course!
Legal Secretary
Legal office secretary positions are a great place to start upon completion of a career training program. Typically, government agencies, small law firms and independent attorneys will hire legal secretaries that reflect an impressive showing through an interview process.
If you are familiar with basic word processing, spreadsheet and presentation programs, you would qualify as a legal secretary. Interpersonal skills are also important, as you will be expected to interact with attorneys and co-workers, and must field phone calls from both current and prospective clients.
Job responsibilities include answering phones, taking messages, transcribing legal documentation, filing and organizing information, sorting mail, and scheduling meetings. Even as a secretary, you will grow familiar with the law processes and filing procedures, a crucial first step in the industry.
Administrative Assistant
Administrative assistants, though more commonly found outside of law firms, can still provide you with excellent exposure to the judicial system. If you have any interest in civil or criminal litigation, an administrative assistant role can help you move your way up the career ladder.
As an administrative assistant, you will coordinate and respond to judges, staff, and court reporters. You’ll schedule and process transcript requests, and keep the court reporter scheduling up to date
File Clerk
File clerks work in any government or office agency that processes a great deal of paperwork, a similarity found with the legal field. Should there be no vacancies in a firm you are applying to, consider applying to nearby file clerk positions, as there are similar job requirements.
Working as a file clerk with a law office, you can expect to organize and file legal documents. Additionally, you would be responsible for filing and assigning case numbers, and receiving any processing fees tied to the court.
Study at Your Leisure
If any of the aforementioned positions sound interesting, consider pursuing a paralegal training program. Even if you do not continue in paralegal studies, the skills and knowledge that you gain can be transferable to other positions, even entirely outside of the legal system.
Our Paralegal Certificate program is a 14-unit, 31 lesson course that breaks down several aspects of legal work. The course is self-paced, meaning that you can set your own commitment to move forward.
What Students Will Learn
- Information on various law areas you can work in after completing the program
- How to research legal information and write legal documents
- Civil actions
- Criminal law and the procedures
- The ethics that is expected when working as a paralegal for a law firm
- Information about constitutional law and its influences today
- Knowledge on torts, real property, and the laws established for writing wills for clients
