Is Paralegal a good way to explore career in Law ?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
Well, I'm PP and I'm a lawyer, and I said it. My DH, also a lawyer, concurs. And many lawyers I know and work with have said it. So. You are inaccurate. |
Anonymous
I’m the poster who was a securities litigation paralegal in Silicon Valley. After 4-5 years at a firm I went in-house at a company and negotiated contracts and managed their intellectual property portfolio. Then I got a masters in international relations and now work for the government. I was in my 30s when I changed careers which was scary but it worked out well. |
Anonymous
No One just helped her lawfirm crush Musk in court. She is not "worthless" Most are gems. |
Anonymous
I'm not sure about paralegal, but my husband was a legal assistant right out of undergrad with a degree in political science. He wasn't thrilled with the law schools he was accepted to after undergrad, so when he was hired by one of the top DC law firms as a legal assistant he decided to give it a try. It was a tough job, he often had to stay up all night (they even had cots in one of the rooms for the legal assistants). The other legal assistants were also young and right out of college, and somehow they had a good time even with the crazy schedule and very busy days. He has some insane stories about up-to-the-last-minute assignments (even jumping on bikes to get things across the city before some kind of deadline passed). He liked the work, and applied to law school after his first year. He had great recommendations and connections after working at the firm, went to a reputable law school, and was even able to use those connections to help get a job after law school. |
Anonymous
+1 Depends on the firm, OP. There is really no way of telling, unless the paralegal knows fro sure what they want to specialize in. OTOH, being a paralegal could really turn someone off from the field. |
Anonymous
NP What do you mean by “pretty useless” ? Are you saying they aren’t skilled enough to help lawyers. |
Anonymous
| My sister actually just got her paralegal certification this month and she said after that experience she is never going to law school. |
Anonymous
NP, maybe, but you sound like a jerk. If your paralegal is useless, it is likely you are useless as a supervisor. so that’s on you |
Anonymous
| The only reason to pay a "useless" paralegal would be if your are using them for sex. Lawyers aren't famous for enjoying sharing money with other people for no reason. |
Anonymous
|
Depends on the office. Depends on the paralegal.
In my office, paralegal is admin and mails my letters and contacts clients to get stuff. |
Anonymous
| Very useful for me out of undergrad. Small boutique firm so worked very closely with attorneys and was able to see close up life as an attorney. Decided not to pursue law. I'm a professor now. |
Anonymous
Sorry, but you and your husband are both jerks. |
Anonymous
| Some firms treat paralegals very well. I worked at a firm where staff attorneys were treated horribly. Paralegals were treated very well |
Anonymous
I was about to write almost the same. The positives are that it is a way to make some money and gain maturity before starting law school, but those can be gained from any job. - 30 yr experience as an attorney, married to another attorney, and both of us were paralegals for a couple of years before starting law school |
Anonymous
That is a secretary. |