If you've ever searched online for paralegal schools, paralegal colleges or legal assistant education programs, you've probably seen dozens of pop-ups advertising easy online paralegal schools and programs.
You may have even seen advertisements for programs that offer to provide certifications for a single one-time fee. Of course, you probably know that many of these "degrees" are scams, but how do you determine which programs are legitimate? The answer lies in accreditation and attending one of the accredited paralegal schools.
The purpose of an accreditation program is to review a program's curriculum to ensure that specific educational objectives are met. An accrediting agency will review every class that's taught at an institution, as well as the qualifications of the professors and instructors. They will look into what's required to graduate and determine whether or not the program adequately prepares graduates to work in the field. Employers rely on a school's accreditation status to determine whether or not graduates will be able to handle the rigors of work in a particular career.
In the case of paralegal and legal assistant education programs, the standard accreditation agency is the American Bar Association (ABA), the same organization that accredits law schools and certifies lawyers to work in the field.
Currently, there are close to 1,000 paralegal education programs in the country, although only 260 of these are from ABA accredited paralegal schools. Although employers don't necessarily require potential employees to graduate from one of these programs, there are a number of benefits from attending an accredited school.
First of all, because of the booming popularity of quick and easy online degrees offered by several online paralegal schools as well as traditional paralegal training schools, employers will often choose graduates of accredited programs over those with unaccredited degrees to avoid hiring unprepared employees. Because of the prevalence of these unscrupulous degree programs, the ABA does not offer accreditation to any online degree programs. For a complete directory of accredited programs, visit www.abanet.org/legalservices/paralegals/directory/ for a state-by-state listing.
If obtaining paralegal or legal assistant training online is necessary for you due to a full-time job or family obligation, you aren't totally out of luck. Although there aren't any accredited online programs, there are several legitimate online courses from distance-learning paralegal schools that will adequately prepare you to work in the legal support field. To determine whether or not a program is for real, look for a phone number and try to get ahold of a real person. If you get a sales pitch instead of real information, you're probably dealing with a degree mill. Also, if the online course is accredited by another organization, look into the agency to determine what their accreditation requirements are.
Another benefit of attending an accredited institution is that graduates of these programs tend to receive better job offers and higher starting salaries. In addition, many accredited programs offer more in the way of career support services. These colleges and institutions often hire counselors to help students prepare their resumes and hone their interview skills before they enter the job market. Consequently, graduates of accredited programs find it easier to make the transition into the working world of paralegals and legal assistants.
The Kaplan University Legal Studies program gives you a choice of several courses of study. Gain the training you need to become a paralegal from the comfort of your home with one of the Kaplan University online legal studies programs. Learn more about Kaplan University | Request free info
