Someone recently asked:
Do you have any advice for those of us who graduated over 10 years ago from paralegal school and have not worked as a paralegal professionally. I realize this is going to be difficult but still want to do my very best. Raising children and then returning to college to get my BA in 2005 is part of the reasons why all this time has passed. Any words of wisdom?
First of all, I would say I am impressed with your commitment and willingness to step out and consider switching careers – a daunting task for anyone at any stage in life! If being a paralegal is what you want to do, then I say go for it! You will have hard work ahead of you (and no doubt those who try and discourage you) but I believe we have been given the gift of life by God and with that the ability to work toward our dreams. Many impossible seeming things become possible with hard work, prayer, and faithfulness.
Some thoughts:
Take CLA exam or Law Course(s)
Since it has been a while since law school I would suggest either taking the CLA exam or doing some law related courses to “brush up” on your knowledge, or both of the above. I suggest this for 2 reasons: 1. although given different levels of recognition depending on what area of the U.S.A you are in, a recent CLA certification will not hurt you by any means – it will show you are up to date on test requirements. 2. Taking a couple of law related courses will refresh your memory and bring you up to date on law changes
Most importantly, you want something to get you in the door for an interview, and this will help (volunteer work helps too! – see below).
Experience, experience experience!!
You will no doubt hear the words “practical experience” many times. Like any job, the most important thing is what you can do or how quick you can learn. There ARE attorneys & paralegals who will teach you how to practice law practically. If you find one of these great people follow them around and soak up everything!!
I don’t know the feasibility of this in regards to your financial situation, but obviously, starting a new career means starting at the bottom in payment terms. I would suggest looking for a volunteer position first (if you can) in a District Attorney office or law firm. I volunteered part time in my local D.A. office for 6 months, and it was time well spent. It also opened doors interview - wise. Experience is experience, whether volunteer or paid.
The ideal situation (if it presents itself and you can afford it) is a part time or full time entry level position with a firm. No matter how clerical the work is, you will learn a great deal by being there. And then be able to take on more responsibility in that firm or use what you’ve learned in the next one you work in.
Interview the Interviewers!
When you interview at firms, scrutinize away! What are the attitudes of the staff that you see? Do they seem stressed / unhappy / enjoying their jobs? What is the attorney that is interviewing you like? How does he appear – kind, stern, laid back, etc.? I am not saying you should be very picky and hard to please about your work environment. There are no perfect work environments, and unless one is just terrible / intolerable, I am not one to condone leaving or job hopping.
What I am saying is: you can tell a great deal about people at a first meeting (by verbal and nonverbal clues) if it looks like something is “fishy” & not above board, or things seem weird (I am speaking of a woman’s intuition here since I am a woman) they probably are.
Just be discerning and don’t feel like you HAVE to take the first offer you get if things don’t seem right. I interviewed at several firms that literally gave me the creeps. And when I walked in the door of the firm I am working for now, I felt like I had come home. Everything that the attorney said confirmed that initial good impression. Things have not been perfect, but I have never regretted coming to work for my 2 attorneys!
OK, a lot of the above sounds a bit like touchy feely stuff, which is NOT how I meant it to sound. Ideally, you will work for a firm where you enjoy (most if not all) your supervising attorneys and fellow staff. But if you find yourself working at a firm with difficult people, hang in there. All experience is valuable.
I hope the above has been helpful. Feel free to contact me by e-mail, fairlady@truevine.net, if you would like to do so. I wish you the best in your pursuit of a paralegal career! Please let me know if there is anything else I can do to help.
Fellow mentors: please weigh in with any comments / advice.
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1 comment:
So I meant to comment on this a while back, but the holidays caught up with me...
The one thing I would add to Jenny's excellent advice would be to say that it is important to remember, in branching out into the paralegal profession, that who you know is far more important than what you know. I discovered that when I went to get my first legal jobs, and it has been true ever since.
That is more important for the paralegal profession than many others for a couple of reasons, the first of which is that being a paralegal can mean just about anything the attorney wants it to. Some paralegals are more like personal assistants, while others work almost autonomously doing legal work.
The second reason is that there is really no standard qualification that defines what a "paralegal" is. Life experience is often more valuable than substantive knowledge, because you can often acquire that substantive knowledge by working in a law firm and by using your research skills.
So explore your contacts! Ask around, see if anyone has attorney contacts that you can use to add to the list of those that you know and those that can help you (as you help them!) in the legal world.
Hope you had a Merry Christmas.
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