FAQ-LAW


http://lamission.edu/law

http://lamission.edu/law/pathways

 

 

 

graduating paralegals since 1988

 

 

Scales of Justice

 

 

1) What type of degree is necessary to become a paralegal and/or an attorney?

 

Paralegal

 

To become a paralegal you need a paralegal certificate - under Calif. Law - Bus. Prof. Code Section  - you can obtain a paralegal certificate at LAMC.  Here is information about our Paralegal Program

About our Program

 

Attorney/Lawyer

 

To become an attorney, there are several paths - the first is the Fast Track Path to law school - see http://profj.us/paralegalpath.htm - There are 19 schools approved by California and you can do this with your AA degree or 60 units - see http://admissions.calbar.ca.gov/Education/LegalEducation/LawSchools.aspx -

Then, you can apply to become a Pathway to Law School Scholar - see http://lamission.edu/law/pathways and get your AA degree, then transfer to a 4 year UC/CSU, and get your BA Degree, then take the LSAT, and apply to law school.


2) What level of training is required for this position? - see above

3) Are there specific training facilities/ schools you prefer to hire from? See Pathways program for partners - Loyola Marymount, USC, and Loyola amongst others.

4) What personal and academic qualifications do you look for when hiring? For a paralegal, look at this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tNYQrbD6Mw - also http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/23-2011.00 for paralegals and for attorneys/lawyers - http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/23-1011.00

5) How often are positions available? here is the occupation overview for paralegals - http://abogado.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/101935261/occupation-overview.pdf

6) What are the specific job duties? here are what paralegals do - https://apps.americanbar.org/buslaw/blt/2007-01-02/orlinsky.shtml  here is what attorney do - http://www.nalp.org/what_do_lawyers_do

 

7) What are the major job responsibilities? see above

8) Does the company provide on-the-job training? Both paralegals and attorneys need to maintain their skills every year by continuing legal education - CLE -  here is information on CLE for paralegals - http://www.paralegals.org/Associations/2270/files/brochure.htm  here is CLE for attorneys in California - http://www.americanbar.org/cle/mandatory_cle/mcle_states/states_a-k/california.html


9) How can I prepare for a career in this field?  Start by getting a paralegal certificate (12 law classes - 3 units at LAMC), then become a Pathway to Law School Scholar, transfer to UC/CSU and then take LSAT and apply to law schools, attend law school, pass the bar, and then practice law. 

Here is information on the LSAT - http://libguides.lamission.edu/lsat

Here is information on  


10) What do you like the most and the least about this career? I love the intellectual challenge, and helping out people.  I also love teaching law - here is my teaching philosophy - http://abogado.pbworks.com/w/page/62897885/Teaching%20Philosophy

11) What is the salary range for this position?  here is information on salary - http://abogado.pbworks.com/w/page/1244745/about-paralegals  

 here is paralegal salary by state - http://www.paralegal411.org/salaries/ 

Attorney salary

$130,490

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that lawyers earned an average salary of $130,490 a year, or $62.74 per hour, for 2011. This figure factors in all lawyers, no matter their experience. First-year associates often make much less money than other lawyers in a firm.

What Is the Estimated Beginning Salary of a Lawyer? - Work ...

work.chron.com/estimated-beginning-salary-lawyer-8644.html 

 

12) What made you choose this field?  I love the sense of justice with the law, and how it is valuable but difficult to balance competing values, and interests between individuals, society, and our government. Here are some other reasons I chose the law (which may apply to you) - http://missionprelaw.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/100752073/LEGAL%20CAREER%20OPPORTUNITIES-2.pdf


13) If you had it to do over again, would you make the same career choice? Yes by all means. Both my practice of law, and also teaching law have been both very rewarding, and I believe I helped a lot of clients, and students. 

14) Are there volunteer and/or paid internships available here for students planning on entering this field? Look at the following activities of our Pathway program which include internships, law school visits, participating in local high school teen courts, etc. - http://abogado.pbworks.com/w/page/100751479/pathway%20activities

15) How can I apply to start the paralegal program? You can add law classes for the Winter/Spring 2016 at http://lamission.edu to get started with your law career.  Find your schedule of law classes at https://mymission.lamission.edu/soco/   If you want to start the Pathway to Law School program email Prof. David Jordan - jordandc@lamission.edu or call him at 818-415-2015 for more information. 

 

updated: 10/18/15