Paralegal or Law Degree?

I can go either way.

I have a BA Philosophy so I could go to law school. However, there are many cons
1. paying at least $51K for (all semesters) tuition alone; that's what a local (night) law school would cost
2. not having applied yet, such that it could be a year before I start classes
3. the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) states that in the coming years, many lawyers' duties will be delegated to paralegals; I would hate to see some of my work being given to someone who didn't pay such dues as I did
4. the OOH projects that many beginning lawyers will, in many cases, find themselves doing work not related to law or work they are otherwise overqualified for
5. the OOH projects an 11% increase in the field until 2016; not as strong as Paralaw

Paralegal Studies, by comparison, would be so easy:
1. a local ABA-approved community college program would cost only about $2500 for tuition and books!
2. getting a PL certificate- as I have a BA degree- takes only 2 years, which I maybe could do in 1.5 years if I knew what field I want to work in and took necessary specialty classes in my first semester
3. registration is instantaneous; no application, waiting, etc.
4. the OOH projects that paralegal work will continue 22 percent until 2016

This is by no means a "Law vs Paralaw" comparison and I am admittedly making the comparison in favor of paralegal certification, even though the OOH states lawyers' salaries as being about twice that of paralegals.

At this point, I'm thinking about getting the Paralegal Certificate to see if I like working in a law office or if I like that field of occupation in general and if I do, perhaps then going to law school though by then, I would be a few years older and perhaps less amenable to an arduous education.

I welcome any thoughts.

P.S. the "Occupational Outlook Handbook" that I'm referring to is actually "100 Fastest-Growing Careers" by Michael Farr and I'm interested in both Law and Paralegal work because the personality test I took pointed to Paralegal work as one of the occupations I would be suited for.

There are only a few things attorneys can do that Paralegals can't:
1.) Give Legal Advice
2.) Set legal fees
3.) Represent clients in court (excepting some administrative proceedings).

As for the rest of the substantive legal work, well-trained paralegals can do every bit what an attorney can. This was something a former newbie associate had a hard time with, but eventually came around. My 8 years of experience (plus education) put me ahead of his newly minted law-degree in many areas.

"I would hate to see some of my work being given to someone who didn't pay such dues as I did." There are many ways to 'pay dues', merely acquiring a law degree is just the start. You also have to realize that the decision to delegate work to paralegals is economic. Insurance clients are requiring more work be done by paralegals or they won't pay for it. Firms see that paralegals are more profitable in that they can do much the same work that associates can at a much lower salary - (less overhead, means more firm profit). Firms will often pair a new associate with an experienced paralegal to supplement associate training. Law school teaches you legal theory, legal judgment and analysis, and how to conduct legal research - it does NOT teach you the nuts and bolts of practicing law.

I think in your case, your basic decision will come down to do you want to eventually be 'top dog',calling the shots, or will you be happy as a 'mere' paralegal, performing much the same work as an attorney for significantly less salary??

Paralegal is a support position. Paralegals always have been and always will be subservient to attorneys. Paralegals depend on attorneys for work. Not only can paralegals not set fees, they cannot split fees with attorneys; the reason being attorneys are barred ethically from splitting fees with nonlawyers. For similar reasons, paralegals cannot partner with attorneys, meaning they cannot co-own a law firm. For these reasons and others, paralegal is a finite career path. Paralegal pay is finite. Paralegals can have opportunities to work in law firm management or administration.

By definition, paralegals can do the same work as attorneys under their supervision, except for giving legal advice, which paralegals sometimes find themselves walking a fine line. In the meantime, paralegals do attorneys' scut work, meaning work attorneys would not lower themselves to do. That's fine; it's why paralegals are there. But consider that much of that work is not advanced and can be rather menial. IMO paralegals work far more hours than attorneys, while taking all of their guff.

If you really want to join the legal industry and your test reveals you have an aptitude for law, I think you should bypass paralegal and become a lawyer. Your earnings potential is unlimited. You can own your own business. You can be the boss with paralegals working for you.

Finally, as a practical matter, entry level paralegal jobs are rare. So many new paralegal school grads compete for them. Also, factor in experienced paralegals whom firms have laid off because of the recession. These things make for an extremely competitive job market for entry paralegals, as you would be.

Good luck with however you proceed.

You send money for a paralegal degree - thinking you will get the same "emotional high" as what comes with being a lawyer - you will be real disappointed.

What paralegals mostly do: Draft legal pleadings, draft letters, prepare hearing notesbooks; prepare for trial (exhibits, witness, all documents - a lot here); confer with clients, case management (making sure file is on litigation track where it should be, if something isn't done, or should be done, etc), organize files.

There are a few paralegals who "have it all" - but most are a form of glorified secretary.

Mary inTampa in Tampa, Florida said: There are a few paralegals who "have it all" - but most are a form of glorified secretary.

...with all the responsibility and no authority.

You spend money. Wow, I didn't even have a drink today.

Mary inTampa in Tampa, Florida said: You spend money for a paralegal degree - thinking you will get the same "emotional high" as what comes with being a lawyer - you will be real disappointed.

That's so true. As Jane wrote, within limits paralegals can do all work attorneys do under their supervision. But paralegals don't get the credit for their work. Attorneys get it.

I sat next to my attorney's office for two years. Clients saw me as they walked in and out of the individual's office. Except for a few clients, whom I can count on one hand, when clients left the individual's office for the last time with distribution check in hand they never thanked me for helping them. These were people with whom I dealt on the phone, set up medical appointments, wrote demand letters and what have you. I could not understand it at first. Eventually I realized they probably believed the attorney did everything.

You might be trying to look at the decision as a doctor-nurse decision. "I love medicine, should I be a doctor or a nurse?" Even if you are not a doctor, you can still working independently as a nurse. You don't need to be supervised by a doctor. Nurses have a rigorous education and training that must go through. Nurses are governed by the nursing board, like doctors are governed by the medical board.

But the lawyer-paralegal decision is more like manager-secretary decision. "I love business, should I be a manager/boss or should I be a secretary to a manager/boss?" It is not a decision people make because they look at one job as a profession requiring a specific educational background and training and the other position as support staff - "Do you know Word?" The secretary can't exist without the presence and direction of the manager/boss.

Likewise a paralegal can't exist without the lawyer. There is no educational requirement. There is little respect for the position. Nobody cares who you are. Your job is to make your boss look good and you are easily replaceable.

thirdin77 in san jose, California said: I have a BA Philosophy so I could go to law school. However, there are many cons

1. paying at least $51K for (all semesters) tuition alone; that's what a local (night) law school would cost...

The part about night school and the $51K caught my attention.

California has at least a few non-American Bar Association ("ABA") approved law schools. These schools exist because California permits non-ABA law school grads to sit for its bar exam. Some of these schools may have non-traditional class schedules. Some of these schools are much less expensive than good ABA law schools. But compared with ABA law schools, some of these schools may be unknown quantities. You may economize in the short term, but IMO you could end up paying for it in the long term in terms of limited opportunities and lessened earnings potential.

I had a friend in California who did well in college but bombed the LSAT. He could not get into an ABA law school. He settled for a SoCal non-ABA law school. The school trained him well enough for him the pass the California bar on the first try. That is a significant achievement because the California bar is one of the two toughest bar exams in the country. Despite that achievement, no firm would hire him. He had not attended an ABA law school.

This very bright individual eventually opened his own firm. He had no choice. He works hard and does well, but he has certainly done it the hard way. And who knows how much better he could have done had he attended an ABA law school and been hired at a decent law firm. He could have learned at an experienced attorney's knee and not on the fly on his clients' nickels.

Don't give law school short shrift. To maximize your opportunities, BE SURE you attend an ABA- approved law school if you decide to become a lawyer. Good firms turn their noses up at non-ABA law school grads. They want and go after ABA law school grads.

Take it from me, the very last thing that someone should want to do is to try to become a paralegal. Even if you get an entry level job, it will be for very low pay and there are very few entry level jobs in California. At least if you go to law school and work your but off to be in the top 10% (or top 20% at a top 20 school) you can get recruited. With that said, when you go to law school you are locked into being a lawyer for at least a few years in order to pay back your loans. Check out this San Diego forum on the ridiculousness of the San Diego paralegal market:

dontbecomeaparalegal.forumotion.com/don-t-become-a-paralegal-f1/