NATIONALLY ACCREDITED SCHOOL

Hello all,
My wife is almost done completing an associates from a nationall accredited school in so cal. I am worried that since this is not from a regionally accredited institution it will not be very well looked upon from firms. Her goal is to work for a large firm, so will this be the case? Also after she is done she is going to start a certificate course from an ABA program at a community college. I am very concerned that this past year and a half has been for nothing. Will she need to get an associated from a community coolege in order to be taken seriously.

If the ABA program will accept her AA degree for it's pre-qual criteria, then I don't think she'll have a problem having her degree and ABA certificate recognized.

She should try to join her local paralegal association as a student-member and start asking around as to what the local legal community recognizes for education credentials. This varies widely from region to region.

Yea thats what I figure. I don't think they will accept her associates. Well better to find out now than later.
I will also have her look into a local chapter and have her find more local info

Has anyone taken a course at a nationally accredited in paralegal and then tried to transfer that to a regionally accredited college. I know the certificate course at the regionally accredited college asks for an associates but im sure they won't accept hers, will they?

You can get into an ABA program with any kind of associates degree, no matter what. At least you could at the ABA school I attended. Some of the students had associate degrees from proprietary secretarial schools now out of business and no way any of those classes would transfer to a "real" college. But, the ABA program accepted it. The ABA program was just for the certificate. No degree or diploma.

The big worry is finding a job.

Now if she takes an ABA cert course, does she automatically become certified, or does she still need to take an exam

Wow thanks so much for the info!

Sec. 6450(c), Calif. Bus. & Prof. Code said: (c) A paralegal shall possess at least one of the following

(2) A certificate of completion of a paralegal program at, or a
degree from, a postsecondary institution that requires the successful
completion of a minimum of 24 semester, or equivalent, units in
law-related courses and that has been accredited by a national or
regional accrediting organization or approved by the Bureau for
Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education.

Would then given the description noted above her Associated from her nationally accredited school then be enough for her? Or do employers want the ABA certificate anyway?

Just to add to the info DLP has provided... the paralegal certificate is a minimum qualification (whether an ABA approved one or not).

Obtaining Certification, on the other hand, is an advanced credential. One has to meet certain criteria in order to be eligible to sit for the exam, and then take the actual exam. The Certification is a different credential from 'certificate' altogether, and usually pursued once someone has obtained other paralegal education and experience and wants to advance further.

N23C in Orange, California said: Has anyone taken a course at a nationally accredited in paralegal and then tried to transfer that to a regionally accredited college. I know the certificate course at the regionally accredited college asks for an associates but im sure they won't accept hers, will they?

Hi,,may I ask why she wants to transfer??

ptownrealtor---

Its not that she wants to transfer, but she wants to take a certificate from an ABA approved program which is offered at the community college or the university located in a few UC schools locally, but they require an associates to enter the program. Im wondering if they will validate hers since its from a nationally accredited school, not regionally like the Colleges and universities are.

I am in the process of choosing a college to attend this fall to begin my Paralegal certificate degree. I have three different options. Do law firms prefer ABA or Nationally accredited programs or does it matter?

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: I think it does matter. ABA paralegal schools must meet American Bar Association standardized criteria. There will never be any doubt about your training if you attend an ABA paralegal school. As an entry paralegal, you need to present the best possible credentials For experienced paralegals, not having an ABA paralegal certificate is a deal breaker for many firms.

Just be sure the college you attend is accredited by one of the accrediting bodies the Department of Education recognizes. In your area, that would be the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

I am moving back to NY and will be attending 1 of 3 three schools on my list. NY Paralegal school is nationally accredited. I am waiting to hear back from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Suffolk Community college is ABA certified, however I am hesistant to attend a community that is not well known especially since I will applying for jobs in New York city. What do you recommend? I am interested in criminal law and that is why I looked into John Jay.

Your advice is greatly appreciated!

Being that I have done plenty of research since my wife is taking her courses, and going to start looking for wor, I would highly recommend the ABA certified Community College. The conclusion I have come to is that there will be no negative fallout from you attending a course like that. It is ABA certified and thats what you need. Not to mention that it will cost a whole of a lot less $$$ than a nationally accredited school. Pretty much the other schools can not beat this program

carol warkman in Newport, Rhode Island said: I am moving back to NY and will be attending 1 of 3 three schools on my list. NY Paralegal school is nationally accredited. I am waiting to hear back from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Suffolk Community college is ABA certified, however I am hesistant to attend a community that is not well known especially since I will applying for jobs in New York city. What do you recommend? I am interested in criminal law and that is why I looked into John Jay.

Your advice is greatly appreciated!

If your going to be in NYC, don't bother becoming a paralegal. Unless you have years of experience or can speak a foreign language, it is very unlikely you will find a job here. I'm looking in NYC and am finding the job search very difficult since I don't have any experience and can't speak a foreign language. The only thing I have is a Bachelors degre in paralegal studies from a regionally accredited, non-ABA university. Even if you get an ABA approved degree, I seriosuly doubt it will make a difference. Do yourself a favor and get an accounting degree and become a CPA.

People! People! There are no [good] paralegal jobs!!!!

Sure, there are $8-10/hr legal jobs working for solo attorneys with no benefits, but you don't need a formal paralegal education for that.

Listen to me. There are no paralegal jobs and plenty of experienced paralegals out of work looking for jobs.

The legal industry is changing. Even attorneys can't find jobs.

Back when I enrolled in my paralegal program, I thought it was a good job because the Bureau of Labor Statistics website said that the profession is expected to grow faster than average. Plus, I figured with everyone always suing and the thosuands of attorney commercials flooding the airwaves, there has to be a demand for paralegals. I was definitely wrong.

So your saying there aren't any paralegal jobs no where? Well I live in FL and every week in the classifieds I always see at least 7 paralegal openings. Down here most of the paralegal jobs are in Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Tampa, Hollywood, West Palm Beach, Gainsville, Plantation, Orlando, and Tallahassee. I'm almost finished with my Asoociates in Paralegal Studies your saying I should switch majors or just go for the Bachelors in PS? If there really aren't any decent positions once I'm finished I would like to know ahead of time. I dont want to dish out exta $$$ for nothing. I'm looking into Respiratory Therapy, Criminal Justice or Nuclear Medicine for back-up plans.

I recommend respiratory therapy. From what I understand, the pay is good, as well as nuclear medicine. Paralegal pay is mediocre. Working for attorneys stinks. Ask around - anyone who does this for a living will tell you.

Ms. Gucci in Hollywood, FL - could you post the job openings you are seeing in the classified section? I'd like to see what they say.

This position is open as of 10/5/2009.

Paralegal - Litigation - Plaintiff Personal Injury

Paralegal - Litigation - Personal Injury

If you are a Paralegal with Personal Injury Litigation experience, please read on!

We are a fast paced law firm with an immediate need for an experience pre-litigation paralegal to join our team.

What you need for this position:

- Personal injury paralegal experience
- Litigation experience
- Spanish or Creole is a plus
- Client Profiles case management experience is a plus

What's in it for you:

- Competitive pay and benefits
- Join a great team
- Opportunity for growth

So, if you are a Paralegal with Plaintiff Personal Injury Litigation experience, please apply today!
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Required Skills

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Litigation, Paralegal, Personal Injury, Spanish/Creole, WordPerfect, MS Office

If you are a good fit for the Paralegal - Litigation position, and have a background that includes:

Litigation, Paralegal, Personal Injury, Spanish/Creole, WordPerfect, MS Office and you are interested in working the following job types:

Legal, Executive, Management

Within the following industries:

Legal
For this position they want 2-3 years exp. Here's another ad:

Compensation: $44,000 to $50,000 per year

Busy litigation law firm seeks a plaintiff personal injury litigation legal secretary with 3 years of experience handling litigation cases in State and Federal Courts; calendering; dictation; scheduling; etc. This firm offers a great work environment.

Located in major markets throughout North America, Robert Half Legal is the premier provider of legal professionals on a full-time, project and temporary basis to law firms and corporate legal departments. We offer our candidates challenging assignments, competitive compensation and benefits,and skill

(Continued)
skills-enhancement training. Robert Half Legal is better at finding you challenging new career opportunities because we come from the legal industry ourselves, with a majority of our staffing executives holding JDs or other legal credentials. Additionally, we were just ranked number one in our industry on Fortune's list of America's Most Admired Companies. Call your local Robert Half Legal office at ********** to discover more about this position. Robert Half Legal is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Apply for this job now or for more information and to view all our job opportunities visit www.roberthalflegal.com. Job Requirements
Qualified plaintiff personal injury litigation legal secretaries must have 3 years of litigation experience; excellent computer skills (Microsoft Word; Typing; etc.); and ability to handle a busy caseload.

PARALEGAL NORTH MIAMI BEACH Commercial & Civil Litigation, 3-5 yrs exp. a must, domestic exp. & Multi-lingual a+ GREAT BENEFITS INCLUDE: Â? Medical Â? Life Â? Dental Â? Simple IRA and more Â? No parking costs Â? Great work environment Come join our fast-paced law firm. This one doesn't show a pay rate(sorry about that).

Compensation: $15 to $25 per hour

PARALEGAL WITH CAYMAN ISLAND CITIZENSHIP & 2 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE NEEDED . . . Paralegal will work with legal department of a corporation in the Cayman Islands and will have a lot of contact with the local court system. Long term temporary assignment for qualified candidate, 20-40 hours per week, and competitive pay.
Job Requirements
Qualified candidate must be a citizen of the Cayman Islands and, preferably, live in the Cayman Islands. Familiarity with the local courts a plus. Qualified candidate must have at least two years of experience as a paralegal and have drafted legal documents, filed Court documents, conducted legal research, prepared correspondence, etc. Paralegal must be a team player and very dedicated.

The pay rate for the very first one I posted is Pay: $45k - $55k/year.

COMMERCIAL LITIGATION PARALEGAL

Miami law firm seeks top notch dedicated paralegal. Must have 5+ years experience in state and federal courts in Florida, paralegal certificate and/or 4-year college degree. In order to be considered, candidate must have experience working on commercial litigation matters and also:

Be fully familiar with rules of court for Circuit and Federal Courts;
Be able to use ECF;
Be comfortable working on large, document intensive case;
Be proficient checking case citations and using the Bluebook to shepardize cases; and
Be flexible for overtime.

Salary up to 70K depending upon experience. Full benefit package.

If you meet the qualifications and are interested in this position, please submit your resume to Bill Karp right away.
Requirements
FL State and Federal Courts experience
ECF
Cite checking and shepardizing
Paralegal Certificate and / or college 4 year degree
Strong Commercial Litigation background

Experienced Commercial Litigation Paralegal
$60,000 - $70,000 /Year
At least 5 years of commercial litigation experience (does not need certification)
Candidate must have excellent computer skills
Have excellent organizational skills
Strong research skills, including the ability to perform research and handle discovery
Be able to draft motions and other pleadings
They must be intelligent, diligent, have a “can-do" attitude and be self- motivated
Longevity in last number of positions
Must be able to work independently
State and Federal Court experience
At least 5 years of Florida Law
Requirements:
Florida Law Experience
State and Federal Court knowledge
Steady employment history

Interesting, thanks for posting the job listings. The multiple language need is a pretty typical requirement for plaintiff's personal injury attorneys. That eliminates a lot of candidates though, as does the Cayman citizenship requirement.

The Robert Half job you have to be suspicious of as they post fake ads in order to collect resumes (the sales people have a quota) and then they will actually interview you (again, a sales quota), but there may not be any actual job.

$45,000/year
Great opportunity to work for a growing and stable Law Firm. Firm specializes in Foreclosures and is currently seeking a Foreclosure Paralegal to support Attorneys in legal process of Foreclosure properties in the state of Florida.

Will be responsible for moving 100+ files and MUST have Florida experience. Duties include, but not limited to; preparing Legal Documents such as Complaints, Motions, Notice of

Hearings, Affidavits, Defaults, and Notice of Actions. Will review Title Reports, Title Issues and prepares Title Claims as well as Letter to underwriter. Will prepare responses to Attorney pleadings such as Motion to Dismiss, Extension of Time, Vacate Motion for Default, etc.

Will schedule Hearings with Judicial Assistants and coordinates dates with opposing Counsels. Must be proficient with preparing files for Final Summary Judgment of Foreclosure

Hearings and calculation of the final judgment totals as well as provide Service Delays, Judgment and Sales results to client and also provide client with foreclosure fees and costs.

Will work M-F from 8:45-5:00 (36.25 hour work week) and paid for any overtime. Excellent benefit package and opportunity for growth. Only local candidates will be considered.
Job Requirements:
Minimum of 4 years experience processing foreclosures in the State of Florida
Must have experience managing up to 100+ files
Only local candidates will be considered
Must be dependable and have solid work history reflecting employment stability
Strong MS Word

The commercial lit job is pretty typical. The "be flexible on OT" means you have to be able to stay every single day with no notice. That's tough on a lot of folks with children. It also doesn't state the OT is paid overtime.

The research and shepardizing is not typical of paralegal work, at least where I have worked. That's associate work - 1st year attorney work. I was not aware the Blue Books were used to shepardize cases. Westlaw and LexisNexis is what we use. Blue books are used for general court information you can now find on the internet. We don't even keep Blue Books in the office anymore. But then again, a Blue Book in Texas (where I am) may be a different beast altogether than a Blue Book in Florida.

$32,000-$35,000/year
Legal Secretary needed immediately for up and coming Ft. Lauderdale Corporation. Seeking candidates with at least 2 years experience as a secretary. Must be reliable and have some litigation experience. Candidates must type at least 60 wpm and be proficient in Excel.
Successful candidates must be bright and articulate. Candidates must also be extremely organized and detail oriented. Flexibility with hours is also a must.
Requirements
Previous legal secretary experience.
Type at least 60 wpm.
Be reliable, organized and detail oriented.
Some litigation experience.

$40,000-$50,000/year depending on experience
Well known real estate company seeks lease administrator with 4 years of legal experience. This paralegal and/or lease administrator will have extensive real estate experience and experience reviewing and analyzing commercial leases and contracts. Company offers excellent compensation, benefits, job stability and growth opportunity.
Qualified paralegals must have a paralegal certificate or a Bachelor's Degree; 4+ years of law firm or in house experience handling real estate and/or lease review and contracts. Job stability required.

I think in some instances they would use the Blue Book. That's what we use in school along with Black's Law Dictionary. I got both of those in my Intro to Paralegal class.

What do you think of the job postings as far as pay rate and experience goes?

To DLP:
Why not get a BA in PS? Someone else told me that also, they said you don't necessarily have to you can do poli. sci., criminal justice, anthropology, english, history, philosophy, or interdisciplinary studies. I kinda wanted to continue in PS because I wanted to learn about law & medicine, elder law, business organizations, comtemporary issues & law, and environmental law. Those are some of the upper level requirements. Here's a program sheet of what I've taken so far:

GENERAL EDUCATION CORE (18 Credits)
ENC 1101 English Composition 1 3 Credits
ENC 1102 English Composition 2 3 Credits Pre-Req ENC 1101
PHI 2604 Critical Thinking and Ethics 3 Credits Pre-Req ENC 1101
CLP 1006 Psychology of Personal Effectiveness 3 Credits
PSC 1515 Natural Environment 3 Credits
SPC 1026 Speech Communication 3 Credits Pre-Req ENC 1101

MAJOR COURSE REQUIREMENTS (43 Credits)
PLA 2003 Fundamentals of Law 3 Credits Pre/ Co-Req ENC 1101
PLA 2104 Legal Research 3 Credits Pre-Req PLA 2003
PLA 2114 Legal Writing 3 Credits Pre-Req PLA 2104
PLA 2203 Trial Preparation 3 Credits Pre-Req PLA 2114
PLA 2223 Trial Practice and Appeal 3 Credits Pre-Req PLA 2203
PLA 2273 Torts 3 Credits Pre-Req PLA 2203
PLA 2303 Criminal Law 3 Credits Pre-Req PLA 2203
PLA 2600 Wills, Trusts, & Estates 3 Credits Pre-Req PLA 2203 & REE 2040
PLA 2763 Law Office Management 3 Credits Pre-Req PLA 2203
PLA 2800 Family Law 3 Credits Pre-Req PLA 2203
BUL 2241 Business Law I 3 Credits
BUL 2242 Business Law II 3 Credits Pre-Req BUL 2241
REE 2040 Real Estate Principles and Practices 4 Credits
PLA 1949 Paralegal Studies Internship (or) 3 Credits* Exit Course
PLA 2998 Paralegal Studies Practicum 3 Credits* Exit Course
LEGAL SPECIALTY SEMINAR REQUIREMENTS (3 Credits)
The student must complete two (2) credits from the following group:

PLA 2931 Legal Seminar: Ethics 1 Credit + Pre-Req PLA 2003, PLA 2104, PLA 21

PLA 2932 Legal Seminar: Computer Assisted Legal Researh (CALR) 1 Credit + Pre-Req PLA 2003, PLA 2104, PLA 2114
The student must complete one (1) credit from the following group:
PLA 2933 Legal Seminar: Real Estate Closing 1 Credit + Pre-Req PLA 2003, PLA 2104, PLA 2114, REE 2040
PLA 2934 Legal Seminar: Immigration Law 1 Credit + Pre-Req PLA 2003, PLA 2104, PLA 2114

I have a few more classes to go and the seminars then I'll be on my way!
BTW would it be good to take some health courses to be a Nurse Paralegal or Legal Nurse Consultant?

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: It's true. At least around here, paralegal jobs have always been tight. Entry positions have always been few and far between. At the moment paralegal openings are extremely tight because of the recession.

Although Fed Head, Ben Bernanke, expects slow recovery by year's end, don't expect paralegal jobs to recover especially fast. Law firms will find they like making money by doing more with less. They won't want to restaff that quickly. They won't want to spend money on more salaries and healthcare premium expenses.

It has been recently announced that the Unemployment Rate is already at 10% now.
NOt good.

Ms Gucci in Hollywood, Florida said: This position is open as of 10/5/2009.

Paralegal - Litigation - Plaintiff Personal Injury

Paralegal - Litigation - Personal Injury

If you are a Paralegal with Personal Injury Litigation experience, please read on!

For this position they want 2-3 years exp. Here's another ad:
Compensation: $44,000 to $50,000 per year............Busy litigation law firm seeks a plaintiff personal injury litigation legal secretary with 3 years of experience handling litigation cases in State and Federal Courts; calendering; dictation; scheduling; etc. This firm offers a great work environment.....
Located in major markets throughout North America, Robert Half Legal

STOP RIGHT THERE..It is an agency posting...B.S....Get the **Daily Business Review***S. Florida legal newspaper..Girl, you must be a newbe...direct hires only if you want a job..and there will be few and far between!!!! good luck..I lived and worked as a Paralegal in Miami. I know of what I speak

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: ......very suspicious....................

Just to add to what I've written, above, foreign language ability may give you an advantage, especially if you are fluent in the language(s).

DLP - Hum, what goes on in the Cayman Islands...we know...suspicious, oh yeah..

Jane Do Girl in Pensacola, Florida said: Just to add to the info DLP has provided... the paralegal certificate is a minimum qualification (whether an ABA approved one or not).

Obtaining Certification, on the other hand, is an advanced credential. One has to meet certain criteria in order to be eligible to sit for the exam, and then take the actual exam. The Certification is a different credential from 'certificate' altogether, and usually pursued once someone has obtained other paralegal education and experience and wants to advance further.

YEAH, but who needs it..Do not need it to get a job...at the best of the BIG FIrms. it is B.S.

Ms Gucci in Hollywood, Florida said: The pay rate for the very first one I posted is Pay: $45k - $55k/year.

AND the jobs do not exist....not from an agency...run, and run fast

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: As I wrote, above, it's not necessary if you studied paralegal for your first two years in school. You've learned what you need to know through the courses you've listed, above. A straight Bachelor's in Paralegal Science won't take you any further than a Bachelor's in another major.

You would be better off taking courses in fundamental skills that can help you OTJ, such as English, computer science and, perhaps, business and accounting, as opposed to a Paralegal Sciences major.

You need to be a nurse, preferably, with experience, to be a nurse-paralegal. Simply taking health courses won't cut it.

I agree w/DLP about getting a degree in something else. Not only is it redundant, but if you get sick to death of the industgry like I did, you will have a degree to fall back on in order to effect a career change. I didn't have that. I had to go back to school FULL TIME at 39 years old and am finally graduating in Dec w/my BA in Economics at 42.

The economy's bad, age discrimination may be bad... I don't care. I was willing to do whatever it took to get out.

As far as pay rates, I am not sure as I am in Texas. They seem a bit high, but that may be comparable to Texas rates. I don't know.

The legal secretary job with only 2 years experience seems high, but if you want to be a paralegal don't take a legal secretary job.

Regarding the experience required, it's pretty typical that the requirements are very specific. How will you get the exact experience? It's hard to move from one area of law to another (and it's hard for the attorneys, too).

Tell me about the entry level positions you see advertised. What areas of law are these entry level jobs? If you spend the first 2-5 years of your career working for a personal injury attorney, that does not set you up to work as an experienced commerical litigation, real estate, foreclosure paralegal.

Forget any job placed by an agency like Robert Half (check out the indeed forum about Robert Half). Sure, once you have experience sign up with them so they can help you, but their published job postings are fake. Once they have your resume, they will call you if they have a job for you, even if you are not even looking. Well, that is if you rate 5-5-5.

I was thinking about becoming a paralegal. First i was going to start with A certificate in paralegal studies at a nationally accredited school. So the demand for paralegals are very low? Im finding it hard to find a lo of info for my state for anything.