Unpaid Paralegal Internship for non-student

Has anyone tried unpaid paralegal internship even though you're not currently enrolled in a school?

Would be happy to share your insight and experience about it.

I have a law degree and legal assistant experience from abroad but most of the US paralegal/legal assistant job posts require law firm experience. Paralegal certification is seldom mentioned. After several job interviews, some are candid enough to say that they are looking for someone who has a US work experience.

I would like to enroll and get a paralegal certificate but I want to have an experience in a law office before spending money in a paralegal certificate program.

Thanks for the input.

You have legal experience. You wrote that you have legal experience from abroad. That is your legal experience.

Perhaps your law degree turns off employers. Some employers could regard you as overqualified. They may feel you will leave and jump for the first attorney position you can snag, assuming, of course, you have a local law license.

While good paralegal schools require students to complete an internship, IMO because you are a lawyer paralegal school won't further your needs.

Finally, this link is to an ABA chart about law licensing for non-U.S. law school graduates. Maybe you'll find it helpful.

www.abanet.org/legaled/publications/compguide2005/chart10.pdf

Displaced is right. You have legal experience. There is no such thing as an unpaid internship position. You get into something like that and you are going to get screwed over (and resentful). Go for the U.S. laywer licensing.

Further to my post, above, companies are afraid to take on volunteers, interns and similar unpaid workers. Something to do with the Wage & Hour, Workers' Comp and similar laws. Internships are almost as hard to arrange as finding paid employment for that reason and others.