If you want to become a paralegal, you are definitely in the right place. If you don’t exactly know what paralegals do, all of your questions will be answered in this article. Whether you’re studying to be a paralegal or you still aren’t sure what you want to do later in your life, this article will help you get a better idea on the life of a paralegal.
Being a paralegal is a very demanding job. Firstly, paralegals need to be open to always learn new things because there are many areas of laws and different programs for each area. Also, the law is constantly changing which means paralegals need to be capable to always learn new things and adapt. Secondly, this job demands paralegals to be very organized because they need to keep track of deadlines and schedules. Thirdly, one of the most important qualities to have is to be able to stay professional under pressure. There are many more qualities that are looked for in paralegals but the three mentioned up top are some of the more important ones.
Paralegals work hand in hand with lawyers. They help the lawyers to prepare the cases for a trial. During the preparation for the case, paralegals work to find all the facts for the trial, the do research to answer questions that the lawyer might have during the preparation for the trial. A significant portion of a paralegal’s work involves writing reports and drafting documents for litigation.
On a typical day, paralegals collaborate with the lawyers to help daft legal document and do research. They also keep clients informed on the progress of their case, and answer their questions. Paralegals schedule meeting with clients or the other party, they also schedule court dates, and they keep the attorneys and the clients informed of the important days coming up.
Paralegals can work in many places, such as law firms, courthouses, government agencies, banks and many more. The beauty of this career is that there isn’t only one work environment where paralegals can work at, and they are in high demand which means they can easily find jobs anywhere and anytime.
To become a paralegal, you have to complete the Bar exam and training programs offered by the job. Usually, the paralegal programs are completed in two years, although it’s possible to do it in more time. Also, many certifications can be done to enhance your experience and your learning.
In average, Canadian paralegals make around $60 000 per year. The highest salary for a paralegal in Ontario is $335 994 per year. In this career, there are many types of paralegals and all the different types have different salaries. The highest paid type of paralegal is the paralegal manager.
There is a certification called the Certified Legal Assistant that is designed to enhance the opportunity to find job. Paralegals don’t learn only with theory but also with practice which means that lots of experience are learned with internships where students get familiar with the terminology, technology and the techniques.
Being a paralegal comes with its problems. For example, if you work in a criminal law firm you might get threats by clients or close family and friends of the clients. Other than that, there isn’t dangers that you might have during your career, but you might interfere with difficulties such as high stress and pressure, long working hours, lack of sleep and many more.
I don’t think paralegals are close to being replaced with robots soon because the field of law is based a lot with knowledge, mind techniques and opinions which are pretty difficult to be replaced by robots. Although robots might be used for research and drafting of legal documents.
The Law Society of Ontario says that usually paralegals retire at the age of 65.
In conclusion, being a paralegal can be difficult, but it's high demand in our society. If you are someone who likes days filed with actions, working under pressure, and you are someone very organized, I believe this job is for you.
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