Should I pursue a Paralegal degree?

Kyougu

Recent college grad here (Yesterday actually..go me!) with a degree in Political Science and minor in legal reasoning.

I have decided that I want to pursue a job as a paralegal/legal secretary because it would let me work closely with lawyers and give me an idea of what to expect if I do end up going to law school. I'm even moving closer to the Dallas area to be closer to more opportunities.

Problem is, that while I been looking at the usual job sites, I see that most of the jobs available at the moment require experience, which I have none of. So I been thinking that a paralegal degree could offset this?

Is it worth it? Specially considering I already have a BA and I'm not sure if I want to go through more schooling in between college and possible law school. Also the price would be an obstacle. Opinions?

TL DR

I spoke with a lawyer who advised me that only big firms even use paralegals any more, and I'd be better off if I could just get into law school.

Gork

With a BA only, I worked as a legal assistant for one of the biggest law firms in the world for two years. A legal assistant is basically the same thing as a paralegal and is used in large numbers by most big firms.

So I would say it's not worth it. Dallas has plenty of satellite offices for big firms and they're always looking for additional legal assistants.

chromdom

My situation was in California, so your mileage may (will) vary.
You must go through a paralegal course to become a paralegal (used to be lawyers could train you on the job, then sign off and say you were a paralegal). Paralegals make more money than legal assistants in most cases. I was being sent to paralegal training by a lawyer I worked for; we had a couple of people who were using it as a bridge before getting ready for law school, and one of the instructors was a guy who went to law school, but never got through the bar.
If you decide not to go to law school, being a paralegal can be a good choice. Hours can be long and the work can be hard, but isn't that true of any career? And just to give a counterpoint to Tim Leary Theory's point, firms of a lot of sizes use paralegals.
Regarding experience, you have none? Did you do a college internship?
Expense (and time)... well yeah, it is going to take some of both. But while it wasn't the right choice for me, it is a real option, especially considering your background and goals.
My advice: don't ask for advice here. Find out who has paralegal courses around you, and go down and talk to them. Find out about money, financial aid, and how long certification will take. Find out about job placement, find out about student networking, find out about the instructors. Try to sit in on a class. Check it out.

amateurhour

My mother has worked as a paralegal for an attorney for the last 25 years and she does extremely well for herself. It's basically him, her, and a couple secretaries, and she works long hours, but like I said, she does very well. My sister is in the same boat. She works for a good attorney as a paralegal and does extremely well for herself, but she's in a bigger city.

I say go for it. If you're interested in law, but don't want to become an attorney or go to law school. It might be a good career, and it might be just the push you need to go to law school.

CoJoeTheLawyer

Here's the thing:

If you're interested in being an attorney or working in the legal field, you could do worse than working as a paralegal for a few years. It's hard to break into because most firms will not hire anyone without experience, but once you get some levels in paralegal and develop various skills, you'll be in demand, which is never a bad thing. You'll also have a leg up on some of your classmates if/when you go to law school with regards to some procedural issues.

But, be aware that most paralegals I know work the same hours as lawyers, suffer the same stress with regards to caseload and dealing with pain in the ass clients, but for only a fraction of the pay, prestige and power. Also, it's been rumored that some lawyers don't exactly treat their paralegals with the respect they deserve, so finding a good match isn’t as easy as one would think.

MeeOk

I got a job in Support Services at a decent sized law firm in the Pacific N.W., and I don't have jack for certification. However, the woman who worked this job before me has her paralegal certification, and she's just moved from support services, to file clerk/assistant to legal secretaries. Largely it's experience, and getting a job in the field at all. Once you get hired at a decent place, it's easy to move up. Even if you have the certification, you're not likely to just hop into a paralegal job. Obviously, ymmv. Just my two cents