PROFESSIONAL DESCRIPTION

The Legal Assistant profession is predicted to be one of the fastest growing occupations in the United States today. Lawyers continue to delegate more legal tasks to Legal Assistants; therefore, the career opportunities for Legal Assistants continue to expand. Legal Assistants perform every day tasks such drafting and preparing legal documents and correspondence, analyzing legal documents, and maintaining and organizing files to interviewing clients and witnesses, performing legal research, assisting attorneys at hearing and trials, and preparing trial exhibits and notebooks. Today the Assistant must also have good computer skills because many tasks require the use of word processing, spreadsheets, databases, on-line research, and specialized software packages. In addition to the skills mentioned above, a competent Legal Assistant will also be able to communicate effectively with attorneys, clients, and other individuals. Our program provides an opportunity for students to gain knowledge in the areas of legal terminology, procedures, document preparation, transcription, and research and writing. The students are given the opportunity to see first hand how the legal system works by attending trials, touring courthouses, visiting law offices, and attending workshops given by local attorneys. As the Legal Assistant profession continues to grow, our program continues to change to remain up to date with legal issues.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEGAL ASSISTANTS

Many career opportunities exist for the competent Legal Assistant. Assistants are employed by private small law firms, private large law firms, corporate legal departments, federal government, state and local government, publicly funded legal service centers, banks, real estate development companies, insurance companies, title insurance firms, community legal service programs, and temporary agencies. In addition to these areas of employment, Legal Assistants can work as freelance legal assistants by contracting their services out to various firms and organizations.

CAREER ADVANCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEGAL ASSISTANTS

Legal Assistants may acquire voluntary certificates from the two major national associations in the United States, The National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) and the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA). If a Legal Assistant meets the established standards for certification, he/she may take the Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) Exam and/or the Paralegal Advanced Competency Examination (PACE) which gives him/her the title of Registered Paralegal (RP). In addition to these two national organizations, Legal Assistants may join state and local organizations. A good Legal Assistant continues to complete continuing education courses, attends professional seminars, or takes Internet courses and seminars. By completing specialized legal courses, Legal Assistants may also become abstractors, claim examiners, compliance and enforcement inspectors, occupational safety and health workers, patent agents, and title examiners.

SALARY INFORMATION

Salaries of legal assistants and paralegals vary greatly. Geographic location, education, training, experience, and type and size of employer are all factors in the salary range. In 2000, the nationwide median salary for legal assistants or paralegals was $35,000. Based upon nationwide salary information, the range of wages of legal assistants and paralegals for 2000 was $23,000 to $56,000.

PROGRAM AFFILIATIONS

Students enrolled in the Legal (Paralegal) Assistant Program complete a 60-hour internship/practicum. Listed below are some of the sites and types of sites a student would complete the internship/practicum component of their studies.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are the requirements of the Legal (Paralegal) Assistant Program?
Catalog plan of study.

What topics are covered in the courses required in the Legal (Paralegal) Program?
Course descriptions.

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Complete an application for admission.

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Student Housing.

ALUMNI STATEMENT

"The legal assistant program offered by Allegany College of Maryland gave me an understanding of what was involved in the career field that I had chosen. Upon the completion of my internship, I realized that I really enjoyed all of the aspects of the legal field which caused me to seek employment in that field. At this present time, I am currently employed as a legal assistant." Rebecca Miller

PROGRAM CONTACT

Program Director:
Mrs. Peggy Hughes
phughes@allegany.edu
301-784-5319