Do i need to go to school to be a paralegal in the state of california?

a coworker told me i dont have to as long as i have the proper training..is this true?

she also told me that i dont need to go to school to be a lawyer but that i would have to pass a certain exam.is she lying?

Do you have any experience in a law firm handling paralegal tasks? Did you complete the necessary requirements (see below) prior to the required date (again, see below)? If not, you will have to go back to school to be a paralegal.

Do you have a bachelor's degree in any subject? If not, you will have to go back to school to be a paralegal.

Here are the requirements to be a paralegal in CA:

Business & Professions Code

搂6450. Paralegals-Definition; Scope and Limitations of Lawful Activities; Qualifications; Certification

8.

c. A paralegal shall possess at least one of the following:

1. A certificate of completion of a paralegal program approved by the American Bar Association.
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.
3. A baccalaureate degree or an advanced degree in any subject, a minimum of one year of law-related experience under the supervision of an attorney who has been an active member of the State Bar of California for at least the preceding three years or who has practiced in the federal courts of this state for at least the preceding three years, and a written declaration from this attorney stating that the person is qualified to perform paralegal tasks.
4. A high school diploma or general equivalency diploma, a minimum of three years of law-related experience under the supervision of an attorney who has been an active member of the State Bar of California for at least the preceding three years or who has practiced in the federal courts of this state for at least the preceding three years, and a written declaration from this attorney stating that the person is qualified to perform paralegal tasks. This experience and training shall be completed no later than December 31, 2003.

See:
http://calbar.ca.gov/state/calbar/calbar...

To be able to take the bar exam without going to school, you have to meet one of these requirements:

(3) Studied law diligently and in good faith for at least four years in any of the following manners:

(i) In a law school that is authorized or approved to confer professional degrees and requires classroom attendance of its students for a minimum of 270 hours a year. A person who has received his or her legal education in a foreign state or country wherein the common law of England does not constitute the basis of jurisprudence shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the examining committee that his or her education, experience, and qualifications qualify him or her to take the examination.

(ii) In a law office in this state and under the personal supervision of a member of the State Bar of California who is, and for at least five years last past continuously has been, engaged in the active practice of law. It is the duty of the supervising attorney to render any periodic reports to the examining committee as the committee may require.

(iii) In the chambers and under the personal supervision of a judge of a court of record of this state. It is the duty of the supervising judge to render any periodic reports to the examining committee as the committee may require.

(iv) By instruction in law from a correspondence law school authorized or approved to confer professional degrees by this state, which requires 864 hours of preparation and study per year for four years.

(v) By any combination of the methods referred to in paragraph (3) of this subdivision.

See:
http://www.calbar.org/pub250/b/s0080-a.h...

You would still have to pass the professional responsibility exam and the moral character evaluation