Legal Question in Environmental Law in Louisiana
I am 43 years old and have decided to go back and finish college. I want to be a Paralegal and a Mediator. Our local university has a Paralegal course, our local Technical college has a Criminal Justice Course and one pertaining to all aspects of Secretarial work. My question is - do lawyers prefer to hire Paralegals who have a "Paralegal" (2 year degree) or Criminal Justice?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Dear LawGuru Friend,
My thinking is that a lawyer or law firm
would be more inclined to hire a graduate
with a degree in paralegal science/studies
than a degree in criminal justice. To me,
Criminal Justice says policeman. To me,
paralegal says "lawyer without a law
license." I would recommend that you
look into the possibility of signing up with
one of those California law schools that will
allow you to study law On Line and/or by the
Distance Learning Method, and then you
can receive a Juris Doctor degree and even
become licensed to practice law in
California. Whether or not you elected to
go to California to practice law or stay in
Louisiana and "practice law" as a para-legal
would be up to you. And my thinking is that
most lawyers who would want to engage in
mediation would prefer a mediator who is
trained in the Civil Law and law of civil
litigation and conflict resolution, rather than
one who is trained in Criminal Justice. Again,
to me, Criminal Justice says "cop". Nevertheless,
whichever course of study you choose, I wish you
the best of luck. If I can ever be of help to you in
any way, please feel free to call on me.
Sincerely,
Hardy Parkerson, J.D.
Tulane Law, Class of 1966
Retired Lawyer after 41 Years of Law and Trial Practice
127 Greenway Street
Lake Charles, LA 70605