Lisa Zimmer Hatch - Paralegal Career for Dummies

Paralegal Career For Dummies, 2nd Edition

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Copyright 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2019936126

ISBN 978-1-119-56491-1 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-56494-2 (ebk); 978-1-119-56493-5 (ebk)

1. Chapter 8
2. Chapter 11

1. Chapter 3
2. Chapter 4
3. Chapter 10
4. Chapter 12
5. Chapter 14
6. Chapter 18

America has a fascination with courtroom dramas. Dozens of TV shows and hundreds of movies have been based on the legal profession. Hollywood has even made musicals with courtroom scenes! Real courtroom dramas receive nearly constant attention on the news networks, and if CNNs coverage of every detail in a trial isnt enough, theres are always continuous access to Law and Order reruns on numerous channels and streaming devices.

You may not have noticed, but one things missing from most of these legal dramas: the behind-the-scenes work of the paralegals (or legal assistants as theyre sometimes called). In the media, lawyers give flawless and impassioned pleas to the jury, and the force of their arguments turns the case, or, under relentless cross-examination, the defendant suddenly admits to the crime. In reality, these events rarely happen cases are won and lost based on what takes place outside of the courtroom even before the trial.

The vast majority of the work for a civil or criminal trial is done before the trial begins, and after a trial starts there are usually very few surprises. But just as the networks choose to broadcast the Olympics, but not the four years of training in between, so the focus of dramas is on the action in the courtroom and not all the investigation, interviewing, writing, and research that builds the case. So, when youre watching TV dramas , youll usually see the lawyers in the courtroom, but not the paralegals whose research allows the trial to take place.

Whether youre researching the paralegal profession to see if it peaks your interest or youve worked as a paralegal since Clinton was in office, you can find a wealth of pertinent information in this book. This book is a fun and informative resource for anyone who loves the law and wants to find out more about it. Youll want it within easy reach as a reference to consult throughout your paralegal career or to explain the nuances of what youre watching on television. This book offers something for everyone.

If being a paralegal appeals to you, youve come to the right place. Since 1980, weve instructed people from all walks of life and with a variety of goals on how to work as paralegals. This experience has shown us what information you absolutely need to know before you apply for a paralegal position and what information is best learned on the job. So, Paralegal Career For Dummies, Second Edition, doesnt cover things you dont need to know we want to focus on whats most important.

This second edition incorporates updated information designed to help you decide whether a paralegal career is right for you. It also directs you to the current resources you need to get the right education and experience to make your dream a reality. The best part is that it actually goes into great detail to teach you the vital skills you need to work as a paralegal or to act as your own pro se litigant.

As if the amazing information in this text wasnt enough, in this second edition, we include accompanying online resources at www.dummies.com/go/paralegalcareer2e . You can access useful forms, sample resumes and cover letters, and other references, as well as links to valuable websites.

Finally, this book is a reference book, which means that you can keep it at your desk and reach for it whenever you need some more information. You dont have to read it from beginning to end you can just dip into whatever chapter or section is most interesting to you today, and come back to the book later as your needs and interests change. Of course, if you want to read the book from cover to cover, we wont stop you!

We make a few assumptions about who you are, as the reader of this book.

Maybe youve always had an interest in law, but you dont want to spend the time and expense on law school. (Besides, who wants to be the brunt of all those lawyer jokes!) Or, if you dont mind the jokes, you could be considering law school, but you want to be sure that laws a good match for you before you invest in three or four more years of education. Because paralegals do almost everything an attorney does, working as a paralegal will let you know right away whether you love the law as much as we do. Plus, a job as a paralegal would be a perfect way to make money while youre in your last two years of law school. You may even decide youd rather stick with a paralegal career, especially considering that the Department of Labor consistently projects the paralegal career to grow much faster than the average for other professions.