Yes! Many lawyers begin their careers as a paralegal / legal assistant, gain valuable experience, continue their education in a graduate program, and advance to higher roles.

If your goal is to become a lawyer or eventually climb the ladder from a legal assisting position, our Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies program provides a strong foundation in pre-law so you may qualify for and excel in law school.

A legal studies degree may be used as a stepping stone to enter law school. The Herzing legal studies program is designed to provide an in-depth understanding of how the legal system works as it relates to law, courts, clients and lawyers. Classes include pre-law topics like legal research, contract law, torts, civil litigation, legal writing and law office procedures along with core management courses and electives.

Herzing University offers associate degree and bachelor’s degree paths in legal studies. Earning an associate degree will prepare you for a job as a paralegal / legal assistant, and earning a bachelor’s in legal studies (with foundation topics in pre-law) will best prepare you for further career possibilities in law.

Typical prerequisites to get into law school include:

• A bachelor’s degree
• Admissions test – take the LSAT
• Letter(s) of recommendation
• Personal statement
• Any requirements unique to the school

Law schools evaluate applicants primarily based on your undergraduate GPA and LSAT score.

Note: a bachelor’s degree related to pre-law is not required to apply to law school. However, if you’re choosing an undergraduate program and seeking a career in law, a legal studies program is a great choice, and can help you affirm your interest in the law as a profession.

Our online bachelor of science in legal studies program takes an average of 36 months to complete, meaning you can earn a degree and be ready to start your new career in law in about 3 years.

Yes! Legal assisting is not only an excellent job if you’ve got the right skillset—but it can also act as a springboard into many different types of careers in law as you get more experience and further your education.

Your first step is getting educated. Our goal is to help you take the first step, discover your true capabilities and thrive in your new career.

Paralegals may work in many different environments with unique specialties in law, including:

• Personal injury
• Family law / divorce
• Business law
• Criminal law
• Government & military: Air Force, Army, etc.
• Bankruptcy
• Real estate
• Civil litigation
• Immigration
• Intellectual property (IP)
• Estate planning / probate

…among many others. With enough experience in your specialty you may regard yourself as an “Immigration Paralegal,” “Litigation Paralegal,” “Corporate Paralegal,” etc.

A career in legal assisting might be right for you if you exhibit these desirable qualities:

• Are comfortable in a highly structured environment
• Are precise and pay attention to details
• Enjoy research
• Have excellent written and oral communications skills
• Have strong computer skills
• Wish to continually expand your capabilities
• Work well alone or as part of a team
• Handle on-the-job pressure
• Are inquisitive and like to find answers to questions
• Bilingual capability not required—but can be valuable

Educational requirements to become a paralegal vary by state and employer. Given the broad scope of potential roles in legal assisting, different jobs require different levels of education.

Types of paralegal programs to choose from:

• Certificate / diploma programs*. Basic certificate programs (sometimes called a “diploma”) are designed to provide minimum training & education. Some are designed for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field.
• Degree program. Associate & bachelor’s degree programs help you become highly qualified for an entry-level paralegal job and often provide a strong foundation to grow into other careers in law.

* Herzing University does not offer a certificate program.

It’s important to understand the difference between the two types of “certificate” programs. A basic certificate/diploma program will typically offer a fast track to getting started as a paralegal, but they will fall short of the comprehensiveness of a degree or post-baccalaureate certificate program.

Which should I choose?

That depends on your prior education and career goals. For students without a degree interested in becoming a paralegal, our associate and bachelor’s degree programs are a perfect starting point.

These titles are sometimes used interchangeably, but the general difference between legal assistants vs. paralegals breaks down like this:

• Legal assistants (alternatively named administrative assistant, legal secretary) handle a broad variety of office tasks, including scheduling, data entry, answering phones or other clerical duties.
• Paralegals often handle more technical legal tasks, including preparing documentation or performing research, and often requires more experience in law.

However, duties vary widely by firm and there are certainly employees titled “Legal Assistant” who perform paralegal duties—and vice-versa.

Herzing’s legal studies degree programs prepare you to thrive no matter the title!

Paralegals assist lawyers with the creation of legal documents and conduct research on laws, court cases and contracts—but duties will vary depending on the employer. Those entering the field with little or no prior experience will typically perform routine clerical tasks, taking on the additional responsibility of more varied tasks after gaining the appropriate experience.

The duties of a legal assistant/paralegal include assisting the lawyer with research, brief preparation, and other legal office administration, but do not include practicing law, advising clients, or setting fees since paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public except as permitted by law.

Paralegals can work in-house with a law firm in the private sector, in the public sector with a government agency, or in a freelance/contract role. Discover more about what paralegals are and what they do.