Do I need a paralegal certificate to be work as a paralegal or is one year of law school sufficient?
Asked by S.A.B.
I have completed a year of law school and I am taking a year off to have a baby. I would like to work as a paralegal. Is it necessary or beneficial for me to obtain a paralegal certificate or is one year of law school enough education to apply for positions? Do firms prefer to hire certified paralegals?

Best Answer:
I am currently attending college to become a paralegal, and the simple answer is no, you don't have to have any special training to become one. You could simply walk into a law firm and become one. There are benefits to having a degree though, whether it be a certificate, A.S. degree, or B.S. degree. Obviously the more training you have, the more money you'll make, and some law firms are very skeptical about hiring someone without any training. Most law firms like to see people who have already worked in the field, but that doesn't mean that some wont hire without experience or training.

If you have one year of law school under your belt, than you obviously have an undergrad or graduate degree. This along with your one year of legal training may be sufficient for some firms, because for the most part, most larger firms require a degree (which I'm quite sure you have)or paralegal certificate, be careful though, because some firms want you to have several years experience in their field.
Answered by Lia C