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Legal Assistant Degree

Opportunities for individuals with legal assistant degrees are growing as the legal field evolves to accommodate more clients in an unpredictable financial market who are looking for more options for their legal needs. A legal assistant may serve in many areas of the legal market and will have legal skills as well as administrative skills, with focused training in computing, English, mathematics and office technology. A legal assistant is synonymous with paralegal in the legal field.

Legal assistant programs involve acquiring skills held by administrative professionals, which forms the basis of most careers available in the criminal justice arena whether in specialized areas or areas of general administration.

Did you know? Legal assistants or paralegals perform many of the same activities as attorneys but without assuming legal responsibility of representing the client. This includes writing briefs and conducting legal research.

Legal Assistant Schools and Training

Those interested in pursuing a career in legal services and administration should consider one of many legal assistant degrees. Traditionally, a legal assistant is also called a paralegal, but in the current legal market legal assistants fulfill many roles in the legal system. People in these positions usually begin their study with a certificate program, two-year associate’s degree or a four-year bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies.

Legal assistant programs involved in paralegal studies include classes that provide an understanding of the US legal system. Common courses are civil litigation, family law, estate planning, insurance law and, perhaps most prominently, legal research and writing. Legal assistant students will also have the opportunity to participate in one or more internships during their training involving work in actual firms or legal aid clinics.

Once a two-year or four-year degree is obtained, there will be numerous opportunities to gain additional certification as a legal assistant, most notably through the American Bar Association.

Job Opportunities for Legal Assistant Degree Program Graduates

Legal assistant training can lead to many different types of jobs in the paralegal field, as well as state and federal jobs as court clerks, record keepers and administrative professionals. Many legal assistants are needed as general court staff, while more specialized training can lead to work with private attorneys, law firms or other the legal staff for large corporations.