http://www.search4degree.com/forum/criminal-justice-court-reporting-paralegal/ Simple:Press Forum Version 4.1.3 http://www.search4degree.com/forum/criminal-justice-court-reporting-paralegal/calling-on-court-reporters/#p18 Criminal Justice / Court Reporting / Paralegal http://www.search4degree.com/forum/criminal-justice-court-reporting-paralegal/calling-on-court-reporters/#p18 Court Reporters Enjoy Employment Growth In the field of court reporting, there are currently more jobs available than those qualified to fill them. Not only do court reporters enjoy strong employment growth (especially in areas of real-time, translating, and broadcast captioning), these professionals can take pride in the knowledge that they're working to uphold the American judicial system. - Find Court Reporting Schools From Online Education to a Career in the Courtroom Online education serves as an excellent means to prepare for a career in court reporting. Students can continue to work fulltime as they earn their degree from home. Online degree programs in court reporting can prepare students for the wide range of court reporters' duties and responsibilities. Students should develop familiarity and competence in areas of stenography equipment, computer technology and software capabilities, and voice-recognition equipment. Individuals interested in such programs should possess the desire to learn about the American legal system, business, and current events. They should also expect to hone their communication skills. - Find Court Reporting Schools NCRA Certified Programs Improve Job Prospects Individuals interested in becoming court reporters should seek degree programs certified by the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA), as it should improve their job prospects upon graduation. The length of court reporting degree programs depends on the type of reporting it teaches. For example, programs that prepare one to become a stenotypist might take more two to three years compared to approximately one year of training to become a voice writer. - Find Court Reporting Schools Court Reporters Are Generally Well-Compensated In May 2004, court reporters earned a median annual salary of $42,920. In general, a court reporter's earnings depend upon the type of reporting, the reporter's experience and certification level, and the region in which he/she works. - Find Court Reporting Schools Source: The Bureau of Labor Statistics ]]> Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:36:39 -0500 http://www.search4degree.com/forum/criminal-justice-court-reporting-paralegal/becoming-a-paralegal/#p7 Criminal Justice / Court Reporting / Paralegal http://www.search4degree.com/forum/criminal-justice-court-reporting-paralegal/becoming-a-paralegal/#p7 Also known as legal assistants, paralegals provide crucial administrative support in law firms, DA offices, and private practices. They help research, organize, and document legal briefs, contracts and other legal materials used in cases and negotiations. In short they are the backbone of any law firm, and their duties may differ depending on the needs of the employers. Despite these unique responsibilities, paralegals are forbidden from other legal duties like representing clients in the courtroom or giving any sort of legal counsel. - Find Paralegal Schools Educational Requirements for Paralegals Most people in this field usually complete a paralegal program offered by community colleges and universities. Others, who already possess a bachelors or associates degree in an unrelated field, might opt for a certification course in paralegal training. Close to a thousand colleges and law schools across the US offer comprehensive paralegal training courses that range from 2 year associate degrees to full fledged college degrees. Such training programs also include invaluable on-the-job training in the form of internships with a law firm or a public attorney’s office. Law firms may also hire graduates with no legal experience and train them on the job, while others prefer to promote legal secretaries who have extensive experience in legal practices. - Find Paralegal Schools Salary Potential for Paralegals The job market for paralegals is expected to grow faster than the national average for most other occupations. The popular trend in many corporations is to develop in house legal teams that include paralegals who handle many of the jobs previously handled solely by lawyers. This will boost employment opportunities for paralegals. Those with expertise in niche legal areas like tax, patents, medical practice, and bankruptcy will often have more career options. Salaries tend to depend on the size of the employer and level of experience. The average median salary of paralegals in 2004 was $40K. - Find Paralegal Schools Source: US Department of Labor ]]> Sun, 12 Apr 2009 21:49:41 -0500