Become Education Lawyer Need
For many Americans, becoming a lawyer is the dream career. Based on what many Americans see in the movies and on television, criminal justice law is glamorous, exciting, and a way to make an impressive income. However, the road to becoming a criminal lawyer is a long and arduous one.
Any lawyer must go through years of schooling and finally pass the bar exam to become a licensed attorney. To get into any law school, a student interested in becoming an attorney must have already received an undergraduate, or Bachelors degree, from an accredited university. Today, more and more students are obtaining an online Bachelor degree before moving onto law school.
The Internet is a huge resource for communication as well as education. In recent years, Internet education has become a popular way for many people to increase their education level and obtain a variety of degrees. E-learning is very appealing because it is so convenient and often less expensive than a traditional college education. The basics of distance education have been made virtual through online education.
Though elearning appears to be so convenient, there is risk involved if the student does not properly research the institute. If a student wishes to go on to law school and become a successful attorney, it is essential that the online degree program be a valid one. One of the greatest dangers of receiving an education online is that the so-called university could be a diploma mill instead. A diploma mill gives out diplomas that are virtually useless in exchange for cash.
In order to take advantage of an online college degree the student should always receive his or her online education from an accredited university. Many accredited colleges and universities such as Duke and Stanford are now offering online degree programs that students may use to receive a Bachelors degree. In turn, these degrees can help these students get into a law school.
To ensure that the online degree program is a valid and legitimate one, students should research the institute more carefully than just reading its website. For example, students may check the accreditation of any online degree program through the US Department of Education. Students may also check the legitimacy of an Internet University through the Council for Higher Education Accreditations website. A third way students can check the validity of such a program is to write to the Diploma Mill Police. The Diploma Mill Police authenticates Internet institutes of education.
Kevin Pederson
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/want-to-become-a-lawyer-earn-it-online-140580.html
While the recession has had an impact, the paralegal field "is still a growth profession and is still expected to be one of the top growing professions for the future," says Laura Barnard, director of the paralegal studies program at Lakeland Community College in Kirtland, Ohio, and chairman of the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Paralegals Approval Commission.
"Newly graduated paralegals are still getting jobs," says Barnard, pointing to government and small law firms as chief sources of employment.
Jobs in courts and government agencies continue to need filling because government employees—who have secure pensions—are more able to retire than workers at private firms, creating job openings, says Bernard.
Smaller, leaner law firms also are holding their own, especially if they practice real estate or bankruptcy law.
"We're seeing more hiring by suburban law firms that haven't been as decimated as mega-law firms in big cities," says Barnard.
“Areas [of law] such as bankruptcy and family law have remained stable,” agrees Jennifer Thiessen, program manager for Duke University’s professional certificate programs, including an online graduate certificate in paralegal studies.
“The other advantage for paralegals is that while law firms are laying off attorneys, they are still hiring paralegals because they can do much of the same work, but at a much lower cost.”
Thiessen says Duke’s six-year-old online paralegal program enrolls students from “all over the U.S. and abroad,” and includes a “great variety” of types of students, ranging from recent college graduates to stay-at-home moms, career-changers, and retirees. The certificate costs about $7,000 and does not require a college degree for entry.
Men are increasingly opting to become paralegals, says Barnard.
Take Kevin McCabe, for example. The 36-year-old left his job as a middle-school teacher to become a paralegal after his wife was transferred to Ohio. McCabe earned a paralegal certificate last year and found employment immediately upon graduation with the Lake County Court of Common Pleas in Painesville, Ohio.
"I like to read, I like to write—this career played best to my strengths," he says. "I'm really enjoying this job. It's a lot of variety; I don't feel like I'm doing the same thing every day." He also finds it less stressful than teaching.
Paralegals, also called legal assistants, perform many of the same tasks as lawyers, except they can't give legal advice or present cases in court. Most paralegals—71 percent—work in law firms, while the rest work for government or private corporations.
Average salaries for paralegals in 2008 were about $46,000, compared to $110,000 for attorneys. However, new law school graduates carry more debt—one study found 29 percent finish law school owing $120,000 or more—and face a tougher job market, at least in the next few years.
Demand for paralegals is expected to grow by 28 percent from 2008 to 2018, according to projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. By contrast, the market for attorneys is projected to grow by 18 percent.
"For those just coming out of law school, it's very, very challenging," warns Allan Tanenbaum, an Atlanta lawyer who heads a commission set up by the American Bar Association to examine fall-out from the recession. "For those looking to go to law school: think a little bit before you act."
Tanenbaum says law schools are producing more graduates than there are job openings. Many summer associates and interns at big law firms have had job offers rescinded or deferred, he says; one new law grad he knows is working at the Gap, unable to find employment in the legal profession.
Even if the economic downturn lingers, opportunities for paralegals should continue to be available. In addition to online graduate certificate programs, such as Duke offers, those interested in the profession can find other distance learning options as well, including associate and masters degree programs.
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