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Criminal Law and Procedure for the Paralegal: A Systems Approach (West Legal Studies)

Criminal Law and Procedure for the Paralegal: A Systems Approach, third Edition prepares paralegals in the principles of criminal law as well as in the practice skills needed daily in the law office. Presented in a clear, logical, outline format, the text includes effective learning features such as charts, checklists, forms, documents, legal terminology, helpful web sites, a systems folder, and numerous illustrative case examples. This comprehensive text blends theory with practice and incorporates insights into the fascinating world of crime and criminals and the legal professionals who work within the justice system. Important features of the text include sections on the criminal justice standards unique to prosecution, defense, and the court; coverage of the often competing rationales and public policies behind the law and judicial decisions; discussion of the impact of the PATRIOT Act and the war on terrorism; the many opportunities for students to apply both critical thinking and law-office practice skills; and interesting and, occasionally, humorous quotations relevant to criminal justice. The text's clear presentation of the law and its many unique features make it popular among students and instructors alike. Students will have the opportunity to draft legal documents, perform legal research, use the Internet, practice legal writing skills, and apply case law. The systems approach used in the text continues to be one of its most popular features, and the clear, concise, yet thorough presentation of concepts and skills leads to the development of a more thoughtful and accurate professional.

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The Paralegal and Legal Assistant Career Guide

The Paralegal and Legal Assistant Career Guide

Are you seeking a career as a Paralegal or Legal Assistant?

Despite projected much faster-than-average employment growth, competition for jobs is expected. Formally trained, experienced paralegals should have the best employment opportunities. Most entrants have an associate’s degree in paralegal studies, or a bachelor's degree in another field and a certificate in paralegal studies. About 71 percent work for law firms.


In The Paralegal and Legal Assistant Career Guide you'll discover:

* What those in this occupation do and the environment or conditions they work under...
* The education, training, qualifications, skills, abilities and experience you will need to work in this field...
* Where and who is hiring now for these positions...
* The chances for finding work and remaining employed based on demand and other economic considerations...
* The average annual pay and the factors that determine how much a person employed in this field may earn, along with any fringe benefits if available...
* Plus much more...

Included in this guide is a section listing 50 best job hunting, resume writing and interviewing tips.

Whether you're still figuring out what to do for a living or changing careers, you need a guide like this to help you make the right decision.

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Paralegal Studies Careers - Providing Critical Legal Services

The fast-paced excitement of a paralegal or legal services career is dramatically depicted in popular and syndicated television shows, such as "Boston Legal" and "Law and Order." Meanwhile, the local and national news, as well as court and justice television programs, have provided coverage of high-profile trials and legal proceedings that have made major headlines over the past several years. With such easy access to law and legal action courtesy of the American media, it is no wonder that so many young Americans want to complete law degrees or paralegal certificates each year.

Like any career shown in the media - medicine, business, advertising, and so on - real-life law and legal careers do not always embody the back-to-back high-drama excitement portrayed on television. However, they are consistently interesting and engaging, requiring workers to devote focus to their careers. To get started in an entry-level legal or paralegal career (these terms will be used interchangeably throughout the article), a potential employee will typically need to have a degree - or have completed legal studies training courses or a paralegal certification.

Entry-level competition for any career, including the paralegal profession, can be tough. Students who have pursued a paralegal certificate or degree are usually considered to be stronger candidates for entry-level careers in law. This is because completing an education demonstrates that a student is mature and responsible enough to handle a daily legal services workload. Many schools in the United States offer a paralegal studies degree program to prepare students for an array of exciting legal careers. Some of the stronger programs are also approved by the American Bar Association (ABA).

The legal studies or paralegal degree program: What do students learn?

The most important skill sets that a paralegal or legal assistant will employ are good reading comprehension and writing abilities. The majority of a paralegal's work involves reading and writing, and some legal documents or court briefs can contain fairly complex language and concepts. Besides English reading and writing courses, many paralegal studies programs require students to take specific classes in legal research and legal writing.

Strong research and documentation skills are other important components of a legal studies education. Upon completing a paralegal certification or legal studies career training program, students must be able to quickly and accurately find and interpret federal, state, and local laws, research legal precedents set by previous hearings or decided cases, and track down evidence that will support the case. Because the career opportunities for paralegals and legal assistants are very diverse, many legal programs require students to study several areas of law. Many ABA-approved schools offer classes in criminal law, family law, property and probate, torts, and civil procedure.

Many schools offer career placement options for students completing a paralegal studies or legal services degree program. These student-centered career resources can include resume-writing workshops and cover-letter coaching, as well as job leads - and career placement. This placement is often targeted in the area of the country in which the college is located. For example, a Los Angeles college might offer students placement assistance in Long Beach, Huntington, Irvine, Cerritos, or another city in Los Angeles County, California. Students interested in legal or law careers are most successful at the entry level when they use all of the resources their school or college offers, including career counselors and legal or paralegal job resource boards.

After the legal studies education: What do paralegals and legal assistants do?

Upon completing a degree and career training program, legal studies students will enter jobs with varying descriptions and duties. Paralegals perform many direct tasks for the rest of the legal team. A paralegal or legal assistant might be assigned to one lawyer or to a team of lawyers. For example, a litigation paralegal might assist the legal team in preparing for trial, which includes gathering and organizing evidence and court briefs; doing research and writing briefs for the case, and even preparing courtroom arguments or evidence exhibits.

Some of the documents a paralegal will write are dependent upon the area of law in which he or she works. Estate and trust paralegals are likely to assist in writing wills and financial contracts. Family and divorce law paralegals help write divorce agreements, child custody briefs, and hearing summaries, or or work with the courts in obtaining child abuse testimonies. Financial and corporate paralegals can prepare tax forms, work in government compliance, or write business contracts.

A paralegal might also be employed in the public or the private legal sector. Legal assistants and paralegals might take notes in meetings, help to prepare employee tax and benefits forms, and file records and major papers for the law firm. Some employees might have more opportunities to perform more extensive legal research, as well. Other employees might be in charge of determining whether individuals are eligible for food stamps, housing subsidies, social security assistance, and other benefits.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the need for paralegals and legal assistants is expected to increase more rapidly than average through 2014. This is partially because Americans live in an increasingly lawsuit-prone society, and partially because it is more cost-effective for law firms to hire legal assistants to perform the work of an attorney. A comprehensive education in legal concepts and applications from an ABA-approved or accredited paralegal studies or certificate program, a thorough, post-college legal career search, and the desire to work hard at acquiring increasingly challenging job responsibilities will enable a legal studies student to begin a fulfilling legal career.

Fremont College is a Cerritos, California education center offering several career training programs [http://www.fremont.edu/programs], including a paralegal studies associates degree [http://www.fremont.edu/programs/paralegal-studies.htm] program. For more information, visit the school's Web site, www.fremont.edu [http://www.fremont.edu/].

Legal Secretary's Complete Handbook, Fourth Edition

Now in its fourth edition, this popular desktop tool is packed with law-office practices and procedures for beginning and veteran legal secretaries and paralegals. Organised for quick access to work-day solutions, the guide is divided into five parts - general duties in the law office; preparing legal instruments and documents; preparing court papers; assisting in specialised practice; legal facts and secretarial aids.

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Independent Paralegal's Handbook: How to Provide Legal Services Without Becoming a Lawyer

For over 25 years, more and more people have prepared their own legal papers with the help of independent paralegals, instead of handing their cases over to lawyers.

The Independent Paralegals' Handbook is a practical guide for anyone considering a career as a self-employed legal assistant, helping people take the law into their own hands. It contains interviews with leaders in the field, and discusses:

*legal areas open to independent paralegals
*where to get the necessary training
*the steps necessary to open a legal form-typing business
*what to name your business
*how much to charge
*how to market your services
*strategies designed to avoid unauthorized-practice-of-law charges
*independent paralegals who work for community and social-change organizations
*computers, the Internet and the independent paralegal

The definitive guide on the subject for more than 15 years, this updated and revised 6th edition provides crucial advice for the new or veteran independent paralegal.

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Employment Law for the Paralegal (West Legal Studies Series)

This new text covers the history of employment law, wage and hour legislation, tort and breach of contract law, ADA, sexual harassment, discrimination, age discrimination, and employees' rights.

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Paralegal Practice & Procedure: A Practical Guide for the Legal Assistant

This authoritative guide is the definitive reference for every paralegal. It covers all the accepted duties and procedures legal assistants perform in virtually every area in which they operate.

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Legal Assistants and Paralegals - The Future Is Bright

One of most common ways to become a legal assistant or paralegal is through a community college program that leads to an associate's degree. Another common route; primarily for those who already have a college degree, is through a program that leads to a certification in paralegal studies.

Many legal assistants and paralegals have associate degrees in paralegal studies or a bachelor's degree paired with a certificate in paralegal studies. Currently, a small number of schools offer bachelors' or masters' degrees in paralegal studies. A few employers train paralegals on the job, hiring college graduates with no legal experience or promoting experienced legal secretaries. Others have gained experience in a technical field useful to law firms, like tax preparation for tax and estate planning, criminal justice, nursing or health administration for personal injury practice.

With 250+ paralegal programs approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) and an estimated 1,000 colleges and universities, law schools and proprietary schools offering formal paralegal training programs - the field is highly represented. Although many programs don't require ABA approval, graduating from an ABA-approved program can enhance one's employment opportunities - it's a credibility thing for some employers.

Program admission requirements vary greatly - from a few college credits or courses to a bachelor's degree for others, to high school graduates, those with legal experience, passing a standardized test, to simply having a favorable personal interview.

Many legal assistant and paralegal programs include 2-year associate degree programs, 4-year bachelor degree programs and certificate programs that can take as little as a few months to complete. Most certificate programs provide intensive and specialized paralegal training for individuals who already hold college degrees. On the other hand, associate and bachelor degree programs usually combine paralegal training with courses in other academic subjects.

Obviously, the quality of paralegal training programs can vary with the higher quality programs usually including job placement services.

Courses range from introducing students to the legal applications of computers, including how to perform legal research on the Internet to more and more paralegal training programs offering internships to assist students in gaining practical experience by working for several months in the real world. Internships could be with a private law firm, the office of a public defender or attorney general, a bank, a corporate legal department, a legal aid organization or a government agency. Clearly, the experience gained is an asset when one is seeking a job after graduation and for many can lead to a job with the company they interned with.

Most employers don't require certification but earning a voluntary certificate from a professional society does have its advantages when it comes to finding a job. The National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) has established standards for certification that requires various combinations of education and experience. Paralegals who meet their standards are eligible to take a 2-day examination, offered three times a year at one of several regional testing centers. Those who pass can then use the Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) designation. NALA also offers an advanced paralegal certification for those who want to specialize in specific areas of the law.

The Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam offers professional recognition to legal assistants and paralegals that have earned a bachelor's degree and have at least 2 years of experience. Once they pass this test they can use the Registered Paralegal (RP) designation.

Legal assistants and paralegals must have the ability to document and present their findings and opinions to their supervising attorneys. They also need to understand legal terminology, have good research and investigative skills and be able to do legal research using a computer and the internet. They also need to stay abreast of new developments in the laws that affect their area of expertise. The most common way many legal assistants and paralegals expand their knowledge is by participating in continuing legal education seminars.

Because legal assistants and paralegals deal with the public on an ongoing basis they need to be "shining examples" of ethical standards for the legal profession. The National Association of Legal Assistants, the National Federation of Paralegal Associations and a few States have established ethical guidelines for them to follow.

Employment Outlook

Legal assistants and paralegals held about 224,000 jobs in 2004 with about 70% being employed by private law firms; most of the remainder worked for corporate legal departments and various levels of government. Within the Federal Government, the U.S. Department of Justice is the largest employer, followed by the Social Security Administration and the U.S. Department of the Treasury. A small number of paralegals own their own businesses and work as freelance legal assistants, contracting their services to attorneys or corporate legal departments.

As a whole, employment in this field is projected to grow much faster than average. The current trend of employers trying to reduce costs by hiring paralegals to perform duties formerly carried out by lawyers is expected to continue into the foreseeable future. As a result, employment opportunities are projected to grow much faster than average for the next 10 years or so.

As in all fields, compensation varies greatly due to the high number of variables but in general, salaries depend on education, training, experience, the type and size of employer and the geographic location of the job. As a whole, legal assistants and paralegals who work for large law firms or in large metropolitan areas earn more than those who work for smaller firms or in less populated regions. In addition to salary, many also receive bonuses. In mid 2004, the average salary for all legal assistants or paralegal was a tad over $39,000 per year.

This article may be reproduced only in its entirety.

Kevin Erickson is an entrepreneur and writer. For other articles he's written visit: Paralegal Schools | Travel Nursing | Medical Transcription

Introduction to Paralegal Studies and the Law: A Practical Approach (West Legal Studies Series)

Introduction to Paralegal Studies & the Law: A Practical Approach utilizes a storytelling approach that assists students in assimilating and organizing new concepts. The student is taken from the introduction to the client to the final collection of the judgment in the chronology that would normally occur in litigation. The text explores practical considerations such as docketing timelines, office politics, setting up and organizing files, timekeeping, and asset assessment. Strategical decisions are also explored as they arise naturally in the discovery process, motion practice, trial, and judgment collection. In contrast to Introduction to Paralegal Studies: A Practical Approach, this text is aimed at schools with a paralegal audience but whose coverage of the introductory material is somewhat broader. Specifically, this text includes chapters on substantive law not included in A Practical Approach.

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NALA Manual for Paralegals and Legal Assistants

The revised NALA Manual is a valuable reference guide for professionals and students in the legal studies field. Working paralegals will not only find it helpful as an on-the-job reference, but also beneficial when preparing for the Certified Legal Assistant/Certified Paralegal examination. Paralegal programs can also use the manual as a reference for students or a textbook for capstone courses. The Manual is a collection of proven techniques and procedures used by paralegals nationwide. The techniques described are examples of successful solutions to actual assignments accomplished by working legal assistants. They may be used as starting points from which changes, adaptations, and modifications may be made by legal assistants in similar situations. More than 100 leading authorities with a wide range of experience in legal disciplines and management have contributed to this comprehensive manual since it was introduced in 1976. The expertise and commendable dedication of these individuals has consistently produced an authoritative and reliable reference for paralegals with each updated edition.

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LITIGATION PARALEGAL 4E (West Legal Studies)

The Litigation Paralegal: A Systems Approach, 4th Edition, is presented in a clear and logical outline format that helps students learn the classifications and interrelationships of concepts and principles. It provides necessary background on the litigation paralegal, ethics, the office environment, and the courts. Utilizing this information, students work through a case, from intake interviews through appeal. As students develop competencies, they collect a system folder of documents that will serve as a litigation practice manual when they move on to work as paralegals. The text provides flexibility for instructors who wish to tailor the material to fit goals and time constraints. Also, appendixes on the system folder, the law of torts and contracts, and reading medical records, provide instructors with flexibility to meet the needs of students at different stages of the academic progress.

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Legal Research and Writing for Paralegals

Legal Research and Writing for Paralegals offers students a lucid, well-organized introduction to legal research and writing. Designed and written specifically for paralegal students, the fifth edition of this widely acclaimed text continues to be an exemplary teaching and learning tool.

Among the attributes that have contributed to the success of this text:
comprehensive overview of research and writing skills, reinforced by illustrations and exercises.
integration of writing strategies into each research chapter to demonstrate the link between the two processes.
thorough coverage of electronic research, including a chapter on Internet research as well as fee-based services such as Lexis and Westlaw. Tips throughout the text demonstrate how to most effectively use electronic resources.
descriptive charts and diagrams that help students understand complex topics.
Practice Tips in each chapter offer realistic and helpful suggestions for workplace success.
Internet Assignments help students learn how to navigate through cyberspace. These questions, which can be made state specific, require students to access relevant Internet sites and locate information.
thorough explanations of proper citation form for both ALWD and The Bluebook and updating and validating legal authorities.
samples of legal writing, such as a case brief, letters, a court brief, and a legal memorandum.
in-depth Instructor s Manual that includes an overview of the text, sample syllabi, tips on teaching strategies, chapter-by-chapter resource information, answer keys for all assignments, and a test bank.
Thoroughly updated to reflect changes in legal research sources and techniques, the Fifth Edition includes:
updated information on legal writing. new sample pages.
new discussion questions.
new questions requiring readers to access pertinent Internet sites to locate information, mirroring what paralegals do in practice.
ethics alerts now included in each chapter, providing a quick and concise ethics tip relating to the information in that chapter.
Chapter 9 on Updating and Validating the Law is now more concise, reflecting the fact that updating is now done nearly exclusively electronically.
Legal Research and Writing for Paralegals, Fifth Edition, designed to focus on issues paralegals face on the job, provides an excellent introduction to the science and art involved in legal research and writing.

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Paralegal Practice & Procedure Fourth Edition: A Practical Guide for the Legal Assistant

The completely revised and updated fourth edition of the most trusted paralegal desk references on the market.

Now fully revised and expanded: the bestselling desk reference for paralegals at any level. Each chapter has been completely updated to include the latest step-by-step instructions for every aspect of a paralegal's job, with new procedures, checklists, and resources throughout. Topics covered include:

• Paralegal ethics
• Training programs
• Court systems and court procedures
• Federal court practice and procedures
• Pretrial practice and procedure
• Legal research tools
• Electronic trial preparation procedures

In addition to the general resources that will be of value to every paralegal, this guide also includes detailed information on practice and procedures for working in specialty law firms.

Price: $50.00

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