is a legal administrative assistant the same as a legal assistant/paralegal?
Asked by Jamie A
I am trying to figure out what classes I need to take for college to become a paralegal. A major they have in the course catalog is called legal administrative support associate of applied science. In the description it says "The program leading to an associate of applied science degree in Legal Administrative Support provides students with the technical skills and knowledge necessary for employment in a legal office as a legal administrative assistant or legal word processor." I have done research and saw that a legal assistant is the same as a paralegal. Now this might be a stupid question but I just want to be sure before I spend all this money and time into a degree that wont get me what I want. But my question is, is a legal administrative assistant the same as a legal assistant/paralegal? Thanks for all your help and answers :)

Best Answer:
My apologies for the previous spiteful and vindictive poster - they are stalking me. I actually work in the law field. No, a legal administrative assistant is not the same thing as a legal assistant/paralegal. A Legal Assistant is not the same thing as a Paralegal. Generally, a Legal Assistant has gotton to their position by experience. Today, employers are preferring their Paralegals to have a Bachelor's degree. A Legal Administrative Assistant usually is more involved in the Human Resources aspect, like recruiting, interviewing, and training new employees - keeping track of payroll - etc. You need to be very careful, before you spend a ton of money on this. The guidance counselors at colleges/universities are not going to tell you the truth. Reminder: We are in a recession, and the colleges/universities are hurting just like the rest of the world, and they will tell the students anything to get to their money. The truth is that the lawfield is rapidly decreasing. If you don't believe me, check out what other posters have previously said about the lawfield. Call some local law firms, and talk to the manager of Human Resources and ask them if they are hiring - ask a manager of Human Resources at a law firm about the job availablity in the lawfield. Please be very careful - I actually work at a law school, so I see this first hand, repeatedly day after day. I see so many students pour their life savings into this, only to find out when they graduate that there are no jobs. I did this also, years ago, before I got my job at the law school. But people that are looking for jobs today are finding out that the lawfield is dramatically changing and is a very different world than when someone looked for a job ten years ago. I strongly suggest that you change your major. The vocational field of health is where the job availability is.
hope that helps
Answered by mailaccount63

I LOVE THE LAW!!!!!<<< Jobs in the field of Law are full of OPPORTUNITIES!! This is just not a good field to invest time and/or money into, it is an EXPANDING vocational field. Many reasons. Many people today (mistakenly) think they cannot go to LAW SCHOOL thanks to the Internet and FALSE INFORMATION. Also, we simply NEED Legal Professionals - we have an absolute NEED!! ("Legal Professionals" includes, but is not limited to: Attorneys/Lawyers, Paralegals, Legal Assistants, Legal Secretaries, Bailiffs, Court Reporters, etc, etc) Law school will cost approx $150,000+. BUT YOU WILL MAKE over $150,000+! WHEN you finish law school, you can find a job when you are done. Since this vocational field is expanding, many new attorneys/lawyers are, themselves, working with their Paralegals, Legal Assistants, Legal Secretaries, Bailiffs, Court Reporters, etc, etc, to simply try to finish the work and BILL THEIR HOURS! <<IMAGINE THE competition. LIKE TYRA BANKS SAYS, WOW, SO FIERCE!! Now... the law schools know this, and now I tell you the truth, AMEN BROTHA!>that the job market/economy is just WAITING FOR YOU TO ARRIVE, Legal Professionals. AT SCHOOL, they will feed you with a fairytale WINE AND CHEESE every week and will give you a good bed to LIE DOWN in. The roots of your HAIR COLOUR will also be done by many professionals. WAIT, CALL NOW and your children will also be given a succession, and your school will fight to save them a spot, for their future survival - they will tell your student, they can do ANYTHING. (Which is why they won't tell you the truth about the field of Tomatos they grew today.) AND these schools continue to recruit so your children can have the best PESTO sauce ever. If you want a JOB when you are done with your studies, consider and look into the field of >>LAW!!! <THIS is where the jobs are! and scholarships! MAKE SURE TO tell me about your SUCCESS!!!! Good luck. (This was intended as personal opinion, and not intended to be used as legal advice because i am not qualified to give legal advice)
Answered by mailaccount633