Law Job #1: Paralegal

A paralegal is usually responsible for supporting lawyers in case preparation, research work, and other legal tasks that need to be finished. They may not be the ones analyzing the cases and strategizing for their completion, but without paralegals, most of the leg work to even start a case wouldn’t have began. They may not give legal advice to clients but are required to be as sharp-minded and as logical as any lawyer. Their roles may be narrow, and not as wide-ranging as that of a lawyer’s, but they are tasked to their jobs in the most perfect way possible.

Paralegals have a higher probability of being employed if they started out as interns in the law offices they want to apply to. The probability becomes higher if the would-be paralegal finishes a degree in the field. Online undergraduate programs majoring in Paralegal Studies and Legal Studies are offered and certificate programs in paralegal studies are also available.

Law Job #2: Legal Secretary

Legal secretaries are administrative assistants that are employed in law firms. A legal secretary’s job intersects with that of a paralegal’s in a sense that both have supportive roles in the preparation of cases, but are quite different in the tasks they have to finish. Legal secretaries look for information, while paralegals compile information that is meaningful to the case being worked on. Legal secretaries also take in tasks that are more administrative (i.e. scheduling, managing supplies) than that of a paralegal’s work.

Those who want to be legal secretaries have many options to start their education. They could take online undergraduate programs in legal studies or they may finish a Legal Secretary course in an online technical-vocational school. Some legal secretaries see it as a sometime-career for further paralegal work in the future, so it might also help if one takes a paralegal degree.

Law Job #3: Court Clerk

Court clerks are legal professionals that are assigned to courts to primarily to manage records of court proceedings and other legal records. They are also in charge of administering oaths, and are responsible for keeping the court’s seal safe. Simply stated, they are custodians of the court and are the experts of record. Given the support that they provide, they are required to have excellent administrative skills and to have an eye for detail.

Those who want to be court clerks can start by applying for an online Associate degree in legal studies or a degree in criminal justice. Both programs will be well-equipped to train students in the responsibilities of a law clerk, but it would also be helpful to apply for some kind of internship in a court. Court clerks can go for paralegal jobs in the future, and may also continue to Law studies if they so prefer.