Paralegal Training: A Journey and a Destination

By Kelly Richardson
Career Colleges Columnist

Work in a courtroom. Run for public office. Lead a strategic planning team. Paralegal training provides a solid professional education for whatever your post-grad plans might be. And that's what makes paralegal training both a destination and a journey.

Did you know that some of the most successful trial lawyers, state and national politicians and business administrators began their illustrious careers with this very same background? In fact, Legal Assistant Today, an online periodical covering the latest happenings in the paralegal industry, recently reported on several known public figures and their humble beginnings in paralegal training:

What Can Paralegals Become?

Political Pundit. Georgia State Senator Mary Squires began her career as a research assistant and eventually became one of the most successful legislators of the past decade.
Healthcare Compliance Officer. As director of quality and risk management for the Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Diane Sharer has become an expert in the health care field.
Entrepreneur. 27-year-old entrepreneur Michael Rojas, Jr., has parlayed his paralegal success into creating one of the most active diversity-driven paralegal firms in California.
Paralegal Administrator. Patrick Rogan, paralegal and senior case manager for Milberg, Weiss, Bershad, Hynes and Lerach in New York, heads up a team of six paralegals that handle a variety of work for IPO Securities Litigation.

According to the National Federation of Paralegal Associations, the governing body for paralegal information and training programs, the training requirements for paralegals vary from state to state. Completing an accredited program is the first step to earning credentials in this professional field. Where you take your career from there is up to you.

So become a paralegal for the challenge, for the love of law and for the stability of the profession. Then take the skills you learn down a variety of professional avenues. You are a success story waiting to happen.

About the Author
Kelly Richardson covers the local education and technology scenes in major cities across the country. His articles appear in a variety of respected educational journals, periodicals, and e-zines.

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