Bluebird In My Heart Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 I am in the process of getting my paralegal degree and was wondering if there are any other people here who are paralegals (or in some related field)? I'm getting a late start, won't be graduating until I am practically 40 years old. I'm a late-bloomer. How does the future of the field look to you? Link to post Share on other sites
BoredPerson Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 I hear lawyers will be very mean to you. They will yell, throw things at you and try to be as mean as possible. I hear a lot of women end up crying at work. Link to post Share on other sites
Jordi Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 I have friends who are paralegals and it is like any job it depends where you are working and what the people you are working with are like. Like most things generally the smaller the company the more friendly the atmosphere but at the end of the day it depends on the environment. However given that you would be working in a legal environment I wouldn't be too worried about the above type of behaviour as generally firms try to avoid legal suits. Particularly in the fields of sex discrimination. Most people I know have had positive experiences and the most difficult part is generally that there is often a high work load rather than that they haven't enjoyed the work, or had problems with colleagues etc. Link to post Share on other sites
chrisanderson Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 I'm a paralegal. My experience is: The work load is vicious. The office politics are vicious (that is subjective of course). The lawyers vicious (many are pompous).. But depending on the kind of law you're getting into, the work can be very rewarding. I work personal injury and there's nothing better than to negotiate a couple hundred thousand dollar settlement for a client who has been hit by a drunk driver or something like that. Wish you the best! Link to post Share on other sites
ejc Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 I'm an attorney and we'd be absolutely lost without good paralegals. Mine is fabulous and I make sure to let her know that she's greatly appreciated. Most of the other attnys in my firm (men and women) go out of our way to ensure that staff know how important they are. I hear lawyers will be very mean to you. They will yell, throw things at you and try to be as mean as possible. I hear a lot of women end up crying at work. WHAT? If any attnys here acted that way to staff, they'd be terminated Link to post Share on other sites
JennaGennaro Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 "How does the future of the field look to you?" I think the future looks the same - prospective, in that it isn't going anywhere unlike a lot of careers. I started law school, but decided it wasn't for me. My employer wanted me to do it, but it was hard to handle the class load while working full time. I have worked as a legal secretary for many years, though. I agree with the other poster that it depends on the area of law. I worked Workers Comp (for the blood-sucking lawyers) and it was not very rewarding. It was sad the way they would try to screw injured employees out of money. Link to post Share on other sites
BoredPerson Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 WHAT? If any attnys here acted that way to staff, they'd be terminated Well my friend was a paralegal and she quit because of having a baby but she said that the lawyers always gave the paralegals are very hard time. I spoke to a legal secretary online once who said that the lawyers were always very mean in particular the other female ones but she kept the job because she is 35 and needed the money. Another legal secretary I knew for a brief time at a party said that all of the lawyers are very sleazy and try to sleep with the new girls. She said that the one that did got fired and that she is very scared of them all the time. Also it is accepted that you are going to get yelled at and you just have to take it. Where I worked a boss can yell but he would expect to be spoken to in a similar way by the employee. So they don't. But not in the legal profession. My friend who interns says that it is not supposed to happen but sometimes it does if the lawyer is mean and there is nothing they can do about it. She is a snob though and I think she found it amusing. I don't I am with you I don't think anyone should have to tolerate that sort of abuse. Link to post Share on other sites
tinktronik Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 My mother has been a high level firm paralegal for many many years. She has made a decent career out of it and seems to enjoy it a good deal. I own a transcription firm and I find the attorneys that I have business with to be organized and very capable. They are mostly a joy to do business with. As an add on, I grew up sitting in legal offices after school and in legal lobbys and wandering the halls and yes many of the attorneys were sleeping with whatever would let them catch them--mostly paralegals. Link to post Share on other sites
b-d Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 Well good luck to you first of all... I am a Legal Assistant, and i do hope to advance ....my advice to you would be not to take any of the advices to your heart..as everyone has their opinion...You will not be able to tell if you like it or not unless you work...I love my job, i cant see myself doing nothing else. Some people will like it , some people will hate it, most of it will do with what kind of lawyer you work for, what kind of law he practices and so on...i personally find corporate law most borring, and i love the field i am in which is litigation, family law and medical malpractice. My another advice to you would be if you can find some time during the week, phone around and go volunteer that way you will know what to expect. That is how i got my job , i didnt have classes on Fridays so i called my firm i asked them if they needed volunteer and sure enough they did, and i had my internship there and i got a job after my graduation in the same firm. I couldnt be happier and i wish the same for you!! All the best Link to post Share on other sites
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