Legal Assistant Associate Degree online?
Asked by LovinNY
I started working as a receptionist/office assistant recently (4 months ago) and would love to use that time to gain office experience and references but pursue a different career at the same time. I was thinking about a Legal Assistant / Paralegal classes that would give me Associate Degree, and hopefully, later, BA. I would rather do it online - is there any school that you Guys recommend? Thanks... I'm in NY... But it shouldn't matter with the online classes, right?

Best Answer:
Online classes look tacky and unimpressive on a resume. Here's a link to ABA accredited schools in NY: http://www.abanet.org/legalservices/paralegals/directory/ny.html Don't waste your time or money with on-line classes. You cannot learn legal stuff online, you just can't. The only schools worth going to are ABA (American Bar Association) accredited, and trust me, potential employers will ask if your school was ABA accredited. ABA accredited schools may have the generel education (like english, math, science, etc) classes online, but the substantive legal classes are on campus because it can't be taught and learned online. So you might be able to take some of your classes online, but the rest you will have to go on campus for.
Paralegal
Answered by ItsMe

I suggest you get an AA and BA through an accredited college. Online you miss out on a lot and those programs that are specialized (Legal Asst.) are just not that good. You want to be able to have a degree that will carry you farther than an "assistant" later on, so choose wisely.
Answered by MadforMAC

Almost all accredited colleges are now offering many, if not all, classes on line. Go to a couple community colleges near your home and speak with advisors, that is what they are there for. Good luck to you.
Answered by Gem

We don't know what state you are in, so we can't really make any recommendations. However, you can click on the state you want to work in to find out the ABA approved paralegal studies classes at this website: http://www.abanet.org/legalservices/paralegals/directory/ Once you find which one(s) you are interested in, you can contact each of them to find out whether they offer online courses. Some may offer them online, but not all the classes will be available online (you will have to go to the college for certain classes). EDIT: Thanks for telling us you're in NY. Here is a link to the ABA approved paralegal schools in NY: http://www.abanet.org/legalservices/paralegals/directory/ny.html And, yes, it does matter where you are located because not all the programs will be offered online. You are going to have to show up for some of the classes. For example, if you learn legal research (and you should), some of it will be online, but they are also going to teach you how to do legal research using regular books (which, obviously, won't be online).
Answered by Star

Bryant and Stratton...I go there and have a friend in NY that goes there...and they just started online courses.
Answered by NewMommy