If you or someone you know is in legal trouble or needs help with family matters, personal injury or estate planning, who's the first person you think to call? Most of us would agree on a lawyer. Lawyers on television seem to be the heroes of the show, bringing bad guys to justice. But what goes on outside of the courtroom, behind the scenes?
Some of the preparation and research that must happen before heading to the courtroom is done by a paralegal. Paralegals help support lawyers and help them prepare for hearings, trials and corporate meetings.
Some of the typical tasks paralegals handle include investigating the facts of a case; conducting research on relevant laws; writing reports to help lawyers prepare for trials; getting affidavits and other formal statements that can be used as evidence in court; filing exhibits, briefs, appeals and other legal documents with the court or opposing counsel; and communicating with clients, witnesses, lawyers and other vendors.
Paralegals may specialize in a specific legal area, and they may work in a variety of organizations, including law offices, government and corporate offices.
If you're inquisitive and have a strong passion for justice, becoming a paralegal could be a great career option. The field is also growing, with a 15 percent increase projected from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. 2, 3 While there are several paths you can take to becoming a paralegal, a common one is acquiring your associate degree in paralegal studies.
Remington College offers a Paralegal Associate Degree program that gives their students the opportunity to explore many avenues of the law, including family law, bankruptcy, probate, trial preparation, contracts, civil litigation, real estate and more.
Remington College students will study key paralegal training course content including Introduction to Paralegal Studies, Legal Liability and Ethics, Legal Writing, Legal Research, Bankruptcy Law and Real Estate Law.
The paralegal program offered at Remington College may be completed in as few as 18-months for full-time students1.
Paralegal degree programs are offered online and at several of Remington College's campuses, including Shreveport, Louisiana; Dallas, Texas; League City, Texas (North Houston Satellite); and Greenspoint, Texas (North Houston).
If you think obtaining a paralegal degree is right for you, you can read more here.
1 Program completion times may vary based on individual performance/circumstances. Individual results may vary.
2 BLS statistics represent national job growth expectations and are not necessarily reflective of local market conditions.
3 Employment not guaranteed for student or graduates.
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