As clients put pressure on law firms to minimise costs, the role of trained paralegals has never been more important, or rewarding.

Paralegals are the heartbeat of law firms – and the exciting news for them is that their role appears set to become increasingly important in the years to come.

For the uninitiated, paralegals work in private law firms, government agencies or corporate legal offices and handle a diverse range of administrative and research duties under the supervision of lawyers. Investigating the facts of legal cases in preparation for court cases, organising and maintaining legal files, managing schedules with witnesses, and accompanying lawyers to the courthouse – these are among the day-to-day duties of paralegals. In short, they are an invaluable resource for firms.

Important resource

There is a definite trend towards greater use of paralegals for the delivery of legal services. Due to a desire to limit legal fees, more and more clients are demanding the use of paralegals to complement the work of high-priced lawyers when possible. Heavy case-loads have also created more opportunities for paralegals.

Acknowledging this trend, Australian Online Courses offers a market-leading course that gives budding paralegals all the skills they need to forge a wonderful career in the legal sector. The Certificate of Legal Administration – Paralegal is a professional development program which gives graduates the skills and knowledge required to work as a paralegal, legal secretary or administrator in a legal environment.

The course teaches students how to use legal terminology, draft legal correspondence, maintain records for time and legal disbursements and apply principles of confidentiality in the legal office. The topics cover areas such as:

• roles and responsibilities in the legal system
• legal practice and legislation
• legal firm policies and procedures
• file documentation
• court etiquette
• legal language
• legal searches
• court policies and procedures
• legal confidentiality and security
• legal codes of conduct.

Focus on skills

While not all paralegals require a college degree or participation in a certificate course, those with higher qualifications generally have the best career prospects.

The paralegal profession is highly competitive and there is an interesting variety of specific fields from which to choose. These include litigation, wills, real estate and tax. The Certificate of Legal Administration – Paralegal provides a comprehensive range of skills and is delivered completely online via Australian Online Courses’ acclaimed e-learning system, giving students the flexibility to study anywhere and at any time. Students can complete the course, which takes about 340 hours, at their own pace.

With competitive salaries and the chance to work at some of the best law firms, government agencies and corporations in the country, getting advanced paralegal training can set students up for a fulfilling career. Why wait?

View the Certificate of Legal Administration (Paralegal)

 For details on the great range of courses available at Australian Online Courses, view our course catalogue.