The ABCs of Education
What’s needed to get hired in today’s
paralegal market?
By Susan Howery
November/December
2000 IssueOne of the most frequently asked
questions I answer for prospective students is, (A) “What is the minimum educational
requirement I need for entering this field?” A follow-up question is, (B) “What
courses do I need to be prepared to work in the paralegal profession?” Finally, the
question underlying the previous two is, (C) “What are the expectations of attorneys
regarding education and preparation in order to enter this field?”
These are excellent questions, though not easily answered
in two or three sentences. I will try to address them in this column.
The Minimum Requirements
There is some dispute about what the “minimum” educational requirement
is to work as a paralegal.
A pamphlet entitled “How to Choose a Paralegal
Education Program” (hereinafter “brochure”) was developed by influential
leaders in the profession: the American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE), the
American Bar Association (ABA) Standing Committee on Legal Assistants, the Association of
Legal Administrators, the Legal Assistant Management Association, the National Association
of Legal Assistants and the National Federation of Paralegal Associations. The brochure
states that:
“Because of the wide variety in the way in which law
firms and other paralegal employers utilize the services of legal assistants and because
there is no governmental regulation of legal assistants or mandatory specialized
accreditation of paralegal programs, paralegal education is not standardized.”
However, what is not in dispute is that specialized
training is required today. The brochure states, in its introduction, that:
“Before 1968 and during the early years of the
paralegal profession, most legal assistants were trained on the job. The first paralegal
courses in the U.S. [United States] were offered in 1968 and by 1971 only 11 paralegal
training programs existed.
“Today, it is estimated that more than 650 programs
are operating in the United States. This tremendous increase [in paralegal programs] is
the result of the rapid growth in the number of paralegal jobs and the need for
well-trained professionals.”
There is, however, a great deal of variety in the types
of programs available and the level and quality of instruction provided. The brochure
notes that the educational programs are generally two-year community college programs,
four-year bachelor degree programs, programs offered by proprietary institutions (usually
three to 18 months in length), and post-bachelor’s degree programs (usually about
three to 12 months in length).
The brochure authors didn’t comment on the
preferability of one program over another, but suggested that prospective students choose
carefully and evaluate the options … “in light of your own background and
goals.”
So, the answer to the question regarding
“minimum” education requirements is, “it depends.” It depends on what
your goals are, and it depends on your legal community. If you wish to work in an urban
area in a large up-scale law firm, you may need a bachelor’s degree, with a paralegal
certificate from an ABA-approved school.
Chere Estrin wrote in her book titled “Paralegal
Career Guide, Second Edition,” “Today’s hiring requirements generally lean
toward a B.A. degree; B.A./B.S. and graduate degree; or B.A. degree and paralegal
certificate, sometimes from an ABA-approved school. Paralegals without [a] legal
background or two-year or four-year degree may have a hard time in today’s
market.”
However, you may find, particularly in rural areas and in
working for sole practitioners, the educational requirements are not as stringent. Also,
many fine paralegal programs are not ABA-approved, as seeking the approval is voluntary on
the part of the institution. Lawyers do continue to hire graduates from non-ABA approved
programs.
Courses Needed to Properly Prepare for the
Profession
Because the number of specialty areas of law continues to grow yearly, the number
of legal specialty courses which students could potentially take is staggering. I remember
a student asking me when I was going to offer the next course in sports law. It was an
interesting question, particularly considering I had never offered a course in sports law,
nor did I think I ever would. There isn’t much call for a sports law practice in
Prescott, Ariz. However, in many urban areas there are attorneys making a lot of money in
this practice, and these same attorneys use paralegal services. So, again, you must take
the pulse of your legal community to understand what is a hot specialty area, and what is
not.
However, there are some courses that are traditionally a
part of any legal assistant’s education. According to the brochure:
“Most paralegal programs cover the following
subjects in addition to requiring general education either as part of the program or
before it. The depth of the coverage of each subject varies according to the structure and
length of the program:
- An introductory paralegal course (an overview of law and
the paralegal field)
- litigation or civil procedure
- legal research and writing
- legal ethics
- specialized courses in one or more areas, such as:
— real property/real estate transactions
— wills, trusts and estate planning/probate
— family law
— business law.”
There are many more specialty areas which aren’t
included in the brochure, but you must research the needs of your region and your local
economy to ascertain the benefits of training in those areas. Some examples of hot
specialties include litigation (particularly complex civil litigation), transactional law
(includes real estate, corporate tax, securities, acquisitions and mergers), corporate
law, intellectual property, bankruptcy, employment law and environmental law.
Another critical area of training is in the most current
technology. Today’s attorneys have an expectation that students will be able to work
in both Microsoft Word and WordPerfect software, that they have some experience with
database and spreadsheet software, and that they can conduct research on the Internet and
using the fee-based online services.
Also, computer experience in your specialty field will
enhance your marketability. If you’re planning on a litigation career, familiarity
with courtroom technology, demonstrative evidence software and presentations or complex
litigation organization software is a plus on your resume.
Attorneys’ Expectations
My experience in directing paralegal programs in both rural and urban areas is
that attorney expectations with respect to education vary widely. Many attorneys in my
area (in Yavapai County) don’t have any expectation that students will have earned
anything higher than an associate’s degree. However, the attorneys do seem to
recognize and value two things: graduation from an ABA-approved program, and if the
applicant is a certified legal assistant (CLA). Attorneys in Yavapai County aren’t
yet familiar with the Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE), so they don’t ask
about it. This may be a future expectation.
You may find an entirely different scenario in your town.
Research this carefully in order to prepare yourself properly. Check out the ads. Call the
local bar association. Make some telephone calls to firms. It makes sense to conduct this
research now, rather than to find you have been left behind because of inadequate
education. |
