|
What Is A Paralegal?
To help you decide whether the paralegal profession is a good career move for you, you first need to know what a paralegal is and information on salaries and benefits.
If You Don't Have a Bachelor's Degree, Should You Enroll in a Two-year or Four-year Program?
Paralegals can receive education from paralegal programs offered at two-year and four-year colleges or universities. Proprietary schools generally award post-baccalaureate certificates. NFPA®'s findings indicate 85% of all paralegals receive some formal paralegal education. Paralegal education programs offer degrees and/or certificates.
NFPA® recommends that future practitioners should have a four-year degree to enter the profession. Individuals receiving a formal paralegal education should have 24 semester hours or the equivalent of legal specialty courses to enhance their ability to practice as paralegals.
NFPA® recognizes that a two-year degree with an emphasis in paralegal studies is acceptable to employers in some markets as a minimum criterion for individuals to enter the paralegal profession. However, current trends across the country, as illustrated through various surveys, indicate that formal paralegal education has become a requirement to secure paralegal employment, and a four-year degree is the hiring standard in many markets. Consequently, NFPA® recommends that future practitioners should have a four-year degree to enter the profession, and individuals receiving a formal paralegal education should have 24 semester hours or the equivalent of legal specialty courses to enhance their ability to practice as paralegals.
It is NFPA®'s intent to provide the necessary foundation from which paralegals may expand their roles in the future. In recognizing a two-year degree and recommending a four-year degree, NFPA® has taken the lead in providing the profession with the necessary tools to prepare for its future role in the delivery of legal services.
How To Choose a Particular School?
Once you have determined a paralegal career is for you, you then need to consider specific information about paralegal education. NFPA® has a Suggested Curriculum for Paralegal Studies that you should consider. The American Association for Paralegal Education and NFPA® have prepared a paper entitled A Guide to Quality Paralegal Education which you will find helpful. Several law-related organizations have published information on How To Choose a Paralegal Program.
Should You Enroll in an ABA-approved Program?
NFPA®'s current representative to the American Bar Association Approval Commission encourages the selection of an ABA approved program; click here for a list of approved education providers . ABA approval means that the program has met or exceeded minimum educational standards established by the ABA in terms of curriculum, faculty, quality of instruction, library, student services, advisory committee support, job placement and other facilities.
NFPA Endorses Distance Education As Viable Alternative
While recognizing that distance education may not be appropriate for courses that require hands-on application NFPA® believes that distance education is a viable alternative within NFPA®'s existing core curriculum and education policies. Accessibility of paralegal education is most important in being able to draw in future professionals, and distance education provides that means. Due to its accessibility and flexibility, for a select group of highly motivated students distance education may be the only form of paralegal education available. Distance education is defined as a situation where the instructor and student are at some distance from one another yet interactive communication exists.
While NFPA® recognizes distance education as a viable educational alternative within NFPA®'s core curriculum and education policies, NFPA® further recognizes that distance education may not be appropriate for all courses, e.g., legal research and writing, internships and any other courses which require practical, hands-on applications and are required under NFPA®'s core curriculum.
NFPA®'s Position on Recommending Education Programs
NFPA® will not recommend any particular education program. NFPA® does provide a list of the paralegal programs of which it is aware. You will need to make your choice based on your own research and evaluation of the above information, including How to Choose and NFPA's Curriculum.
Does your Paralegal Education Qualify you for PACE™?
Requirements for a paralegal to take either tier of PACE™ include work experience and education. The paralegal cannot have been convicted of a felony nor be under suspension, termination, or revocation of a certificate, registration, or license by any entity.
Requirements are:
- An associates degree in paralegal studies obtained from an institutionally accredited and/or ABA approved paralegal education program; and six (6) years substantive paralegal experience; OR
- A bachelor's degree in any course of study obtained from an institutionally accredited school and three (3) years of substantive paralegal experience; OR
- A bachelor's degree and completion of a paralegal program with an institutionally accredited school, said paralegal program may be embodied in a bachelor's degree; and two (2) years substantive paralegal experience; OR
- Four (4) years substantive paralegal experience on or before December 31, 2000.
Additional Resources
Helpful Articles
Reprint Permissions
Interested in re-posting a National Paralegal Reporter® article on your website or in your electronic newsletter? Or, interested in hard-copy reprint permission? You will need the permission of the author and NFPA® as the publisher. For more information contact Editor@paralegals.org.
To process your request more easily, please have the name, date and author of the article, as well as the issue date of the Reporter.
If you need information about paralegal education that is not provided above, write education@paralegals.org
|
