I'm think of becoming a paralegal. Any advice from paralegals out there?

I'm thinking of becoming a paralegal (or legal secretary), and I'm looking for general talk about the field. What's it like? Do you recommend going into it? What should I look out for?

Legal secretaries get paid decent money, but it is justified, when one considers all they have to do: Keeping the boss' schedule, answering phone, talking to clients on phone, preparing routine legal filings, making copies of documents, mailing documents and pleadings, greeting clients in person, some of whom possess a penchant for talking and talking, typing legal pleadings and other legal documents, then filing them with the Court, going to Court when the occasion requires it, composing letters to other lawyers and to Judge's clerks when necessary, attending meetings, etc. etc.

A paralegal job is different. You first take a course that lasts approximately 18 months to 2 years if you do it with no interruptions. The course is interesting, can be fun at times, but can be awfully dry and boring, too. I mean, most people don't find Trademarks and Copyright to be the most scintillating stuff in the world. Ditto for Securities/Municipal Bonds, Bankruptcy and Patent Law..

If there's one thing the course does it is to give you a realistic glimpse into the duties a paralegal can and does perform, depending on which type of firm she or he works for. Once you receive your paralegal certificate, you are qualified to work anywhere as a paralegal. Well, anywhere in the country in which you were trained.
Working in a small law firm will most likely offer you a more varied workload where it is quite possible to be the lawyer's true "right hand man." A larger firm has a larger pool in which to distribute the workload. Here, take a look to see a general description of what individual tasks you'll be asked to do: http://www.essortment.com/career/paraleg...

You are very welcome. There is becoming a wider gap all the time between paralegals and legal secretaries; of course, in a very small law firm the secretary could be doing paralegal work but I wouldn't want to be doing both. It's bad enough just being a legal secretary! Report It

Why would you want to work for lawyers? Are you mad?

Don't let the ignorant responses get to you like the first one. That guy will be the first one running to a lawyer when he needs one to defend him against the legal system. I always wonder why so many people hate lawyers and yet flock to them in a crisis - hypocrites.

Didn't Shakespeare say if you want to destroy society kill all the lawyers?