My Support Forums - View Single Post

shezbut · 01:45 AM

(((hugs)))

That is hard.

I'm sorry. I looked online, to see what I could find. With some additional schooling, you could become a Court Reporter, and they make really good money with better than "banker's hours"! Something worth considering ~ especially if you aren't wanting to put a lot of additional time (and $) into education.

Another possibility that you may want to consider is paralegal. No licensing is required, but some know how and understanding of the laws is critical. Here's some info from Criminal Justice Degree Online

Quote:

A paralegal (or legal assistant) works in private law firms or government agencies. Depending on their experience and education, paralegals can perform many of the same tasks an attorney would. Paralegals help lawyers prepare for hearings, trials, depositions, and meetings. Additionally, paralegals may also investigate the facts of a case, draft pleadings and motions, or conduct legal research.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), it is projected that employment of paralegals will grow by 18 percent between 2010 and 2020. This growth is attributed to things like law firms cutting costs by using more paralegals to reduce overhead, and corporations hiring paralegals as part of an in-house legal system to avoid the high cost of having law firms on retainer.

Competition for jobs is expected to remain strong, but paralegals who are formally trained, have experience, and who are specialized will have the best job prospects. Aundrea mentioned that freelance paralegals face a different set of challenges in the fact that, even though they have the freedom to be their own bosses, they don’t spend as much time doing actual “paralegal work”—this is because they have to balance their roles as paralegals with being entrepreneurs.

The BLS also reports that the average annual salary of paralegals was $46,68 in 2010, while the lowest 10% earned less than $29,460, and the top 10% earned in excess of $74,870. Actual salaries vary, depending on geographic location, degree level, professional experience, and the size of your employer.

Most paralegal training programs will offer you an opportunity to participate in an internship in which you can gain practical experience by working in a corporate legal department, a public defender’s or attorney general’s office, a law firm, or a nonprofit legal aid organization. Internships typically are for several months, and can sometimes lead to a permanent position.

There are not any licensing requirements to become a paralegal, however, most employers expect paralegals to seek voluntary certification through the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA). If you are considering a career as a paralegal, you may enjoy taking courses like introduction to criminal justice, courts and criminal justice, and legal foundations of the trial process.

There are several other possible jobs that you can read up on through the link as well. Very best wishes to you ~ good luck!