Is becoming a Para-Legal a worthwhile career?

At 49 my body is physically failing; not so much "getting old" as degeneration. That said, the VA has offered to send me back to College for a higher degree.
The thought occurred to that I really get pissed off and want to fight (not physically) with people that use their position to coerce folks into doing what they think is the way it has to be done....I call these people "zealots" and a lot of laws/rules/regulations are put in place to defend against their zeal, yet sadly there are as many that allow and support that same intrusive behavior but I digress, today I though that maybe becoming a "Paralegal" might be something ideally suited as a new profession.
What say you?

i have no basis for this, but something tells me no since you see training to become a paralegal on late night TV commercials.

At 49? I suggest something else. It is long, tough, grunt work. Back when I was in college(I went for and got a Finance degree but had an interest in law as well) I worked a large law firm, the paralegals were basically the little soldiers who do everything the attorneys tell them. The research, the leg work... expect long hours and no appreciation. No love.

Granted this was one of the biggest firms (both in employees and business) in the world at the time.

Do you know any paralegals in your neck of the woods? What are the job prospects for you once you complete an associate in paralegal studies or a certificate program. Just to be clear, there is no license/certification as a paralegal in NY, therefore, you must work for an attorney if you want to do anything in your intended profession. Depending on where you find employment and your years of experience, paralegals can make anywhere from 30-60K a year, sometimes more, sometimes less.

With the graying of baby boomers, I would look into becoming an ophthalmologist, physicians assistant, Catscan/MRI or X-ray tech. RN is too hands on physically demanding. Every RN I know has neck/back problems by the time they are 50.

IT type jobs generally doesn't require much heavy lifting and are generally in high demand.

I don't know any paralegals, and other than from shooting events, I really don't know any Lawyers, or much about the profession. [://
Ironic you mention the Medical field: after 15 years as a volunteer EMT, I no longer care to conduct "hands on" patient care, and I too have neck/back pain. Two years ago we replaced our stretchers with self lifting ones; that's the best money we ever spent!
The caveat for the VA to pay is that the career must be sedentary...pretty hard to go from bull-of-the-woods mechanic to desk jockey. Currently I make just under $50.K (before taxes) and while it would be nice to earn more, I'd be just as happy at the same level.

After 15 years as a volley EMT you already have the hours, experience and exposure to get on the physician assistant track. School is no joke - 20-36 months on top of a bachelors (most schools) with lots of clinicals, but it's worth it.

If I were in your position I might leverage the knowledge, training and experience I already have in the EMS world, and seek further education as an EMT instructor, or EMS supervisor. You know the old saying...those who can do, and those who are sick of the shit teach.

Best of luck to you, where ever your eyes and feet take you.

Paralegal isn't a "true" certified or diplomaed program, so it isn't really recognized as a "serious" acheivement. Starting pay stinks. Long hours, boring hours, filing and such.

Find something you would be good at and enjoy, and fits your character.

Let's see, you're:

49, body aging, but could still eat Arnie for lunch. If you're body is failing you, most everyone else here is already mush.
Strong, attractive (no, I don't wanna hear any "gay" jokes in my direction) generally charasmatic.
Intelligent, well versed; excellent communication skills.
Truthful to a fault; trustworthy.
Years of experience in medical field.
Sales experience.

How about a rep for a pharmecutical or (better yet) medical supply company? That's money. You'd be good at it. Just have to find the job. To broaden the range- EMS or fire supply? Ambulance or fire truck sales?

Since its being paid for look into pharmacology. Judging by the ones I have to put with every day, it can't be that hard. Although, in NY it is now a doctorate program, so your looking at 6 years, possibly more. But if I had to do it all again, thats what i would do.

Where are you? Downstate EMS instructors make some decent money, but the job is hard to get and I'm fairly certain you need to be ALS.

As for the legal profession, from your friendly 3L, don't do it. Firms basically abuse students and new lawyers, the new trend is towards UNPAID internships during and following graduation, and you are lucky to get one of those. The overflow of new JD's are doing everything from serving coffee and cleaning houses to working as paralegals and in other various amorphous support positions.

In my time so far in law school, I have yet to hear the word, "paralegal," and I have yet to actually see one in the wild on a professional basis...though, on a vacation following my 1L year, I sat next to three of them on a plane and they expressed their condolences for my choice of careers. Junior associates seem to be the new paralegals, expected to do their own document work and research (after all you can bill them out at a higher rate and still pay them next to nothing).

I would seriously investigate the career opportunities in your area before embarking on a law career of any kind.

The job market sucks around here. There's a lot looking for work, but we (and most other firms) are only looking for people with experience in our particular area of law. Certification/degree is of far less importance than experience.

I know two pharmacists and I can tell you the hours are terrible and job prospects not that great. Basically you can forget about the mom and pop type drug stores of years ago. You will be applying to Walgreen's, CVS, Rite-Aid, WalMart or Target. They are really the only ones hiring for their pharmacy departments. As for the hours, you can find yourself on 12 hour shifts and working those hours four days straight. Add weekends if you are the new guy. It also involves a lot of standing.

I know about 25 of them because I work in a hospital, they start at $100K, work 7 on, 7 off, 8 hours a day, the store pharmacist make considerably more, the ones that specialize make more than a new MD with 1/4 of the tuition debt. There are jobs every where. I looked into this hard for my son, but hes hell bend on being the next Dr. House.

Your Son wants to be a pill addicted Brit who uses a cane?

Seriously, If you are willing to relocate to other parts of the country for Pharm-D school and already have a few of the correct credits or roughly a bachelors in Bio or Chem, you can become a pharmacist in 3 years.

X-Ray tech, Cat Scan tech, MRI tech are probably a shorter learning curve vs. school debt and their working conditions will be fairly low impact compared to being a mechanic.

Being a drug sales rep requires a Bachelors, in what....I don't know. Probably marketing or business. Re-tool your brain for a profession that you are guaranteed to get a job in. Nothing worse than having shitloads of student loan debt and not being able to get a job in your new profession.

Computers man.....computers. Don't rule it out.

There were a couple of paralegals at the law firm I worked at up there a million years ago. But my buddy's little brother got a paralegal degree from JCC and was never able to find employment. I would say "prospects are dim" in Jefferson county. There are only a few firms large enough to hire paralegals and lawyers are a dime a dozen now and young lawyers will probably work for the same wages a paralegal would want.

Nobody's paying paralegals $ 100k around here

He's talking about pharmacists, not paralegals.

Don't go for x-ray or catscan. Guess who lifts and moves the indigent patients to the table?

I'm surprised they pull down that much anymore

My bad, just look at the contract (they are in the same collective bargaining as us) and they start at $122,000, and this area is one of the lowest paid.

I had a divorce client a few years ago who was a part time pharmacist for Target.

She made $90k a year.

She worked 30 hours a week.

Three 10 hour shifts.

How's that for quality of life?

What does she look like? Hmmmmmm is her divorce final? How many F trophies does she have? Yes, I am kidding, couldn't help myself.

I know I would....

My legal assistant at the firm is an admitted New York attorney just out of law school who has been unable to find a position as an attorney. This is in the Hudson Valley area. There is a glut of young lawyers looking for work. Prospects for paralegal without significant experience is dim.

NJ is no better for paralegal either. Old girlfriend went back to college and obtained her AS degree from Camden County College did her internship at the DA's office and still cant find a job a year later. Shes regretting going back..

You hiring? I obviously can type like the wind

Copyright © 1996 - 2013 :: AR15.Com LLC :: All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.