Paralegal Schools - Paralegal Training Programs

Paralegal professionals comprise an essential arm of the legal community. They assist lawyers in researching, preparing, and presenting cases in civil and criminal proceedings in both public and private sectors. If courtroom life appeals to you and you like the idea of a challenge, consider training at one of the many online or on-campus paralegal schools.

Programs vary in scope and expertise, from a four-year bachelor's or two-year associate's degree. An accelerated certificate program can be completed in a matter of months. There are about 600 paralegal schools across the country,

Job Outlook for Graduates of Paralegal Schools

The Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts strong growth in paralegal jobs through 2012 as law firms hire additional paralegal staff to improve their research and service offerings. Private law firms employ about three-fourths of all paralegals, and the remainder of paralegals take jobs with government agencies and corporate legal teams.

Depending upon the specialty of the law firm, paralegals can receive assignments in personal injury litigation, criminal law, estate planning, bankruptcy, tax law, stock and shareholder proceedings, or labor law. While the lawyers themselves have the responsibility for arguing these cases in court, paralegals often conduct all the pertinent research and then prepare briefs, pleadings, and motions for the client.

Employment for Graduates of Paralegal Schools

As a paralegal, you can decide if you want to take on a range of generalized duties in a number of legal fields, or whether to concentrate on a key segment of the law.

Many paralegals are self-employed and work for clients where their specialties are in high demand. Students from paralegal schools often take law-firm internships during the school year to evaluate different practices.