Law school Path

laura_dacosta_69

I am lost between entering into a paralegal course( 2 year program) then apply to law school or purchase any of the courses on 7Sage then apply to law school?
I am a newcomer to the law society, I am not an expert on what I should choose, it would be very helpful to get your opinions.
Thank you!

Alex

I definitely think it is a good idea to expose yourself to law in some setting before doing either of those things. Perhaps try to get a job as a clerk at a local law office and see how you like it. If you're sure you want to be a lawyer after that, I would forgo the paralegal course and go straight to law school. You also might be able to find a PT gig and prep for the LSAT while you work even!

laura_dacosta_69

alright, thank you so much for your input.

BenjaminSF

Having spoken to a few admissions officers, paralegal work does not necessarily open any special doors when it comes to getting into schools. I would imagine working in the legal setting would be beneficial to learning more about your own interests, but don't count on it getting you into schools. Admissions are looking for a diverse group of prospective students, so having a background unrelated to law is not necessarily a drawback.

Just thought I would mention this, as it is something I asked A.O.s about specifically. (I have no background in law.)

tanes256

@laura_dacosta_69 I wouldn't say paralegal training is a waste but I wouldn't spend 2 yrs trying to obtain the degree. Honestly, 2 yrs seems quite long for paralegal certification. I took an ABA course for 6 mos @ $13K. I can't say that it has given me any advantage over the next applicant because I've worked with plenty that don't have the certification/degree and sometimes even made more than me. I think you have a 50/50 shot at getting a job in a legal setting with or without the certification/degree. Working as a paralegal will give you insight to the areas you're interested in or not, but I think that's about it. Once you get to law school you may be familiar with certain things depending on the field you work but I think that's about it. I wouldn't put off law school for the paralegal certificate/degree. I only chose to get the certificate because I was 1 yr post undergrad and couldn't find a job. I got a job as a paralegal at a law firm a week after graduation so that was a plus but I mostly wanted to hold off paying those loans a little longer! LOL