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LEGAL STAFF TRAINING CORNER
Profile: Andrea Wagner, Author, How to Land
Your First Paralegal Job
[7-26-04 by Zamzam Syed] Andrea Wagner, the author of one book on how to break into the paralegal profession and one book on how to break out of it, offers a lot of helpful advice to aspiring and current paralegals who want to know what to do next.
As the author of How to Land Your First
charter members of the CACPS, the Commis-
Paralegal Job, Andrea Wagner is the perfect person to offer advice in this week’s LawCrossing Legal Staff Profile. Ironically enough, Andrea no longer works as a legal staff member; she is a Human Resources professional at the Anti-Defamation league in Los Angeles, California. But then again, she is also the author of the book Where Do I Go From Here, which is designed to help legal staff professionals transition out of their jobs and into new careers. LawCrossing was fortunate to speak with Andrea about her varied career and get some amazing career advice for our readers.
sion for Advanced CA Paralegal Specializa-
sion works. It also touches on paralegal edu-
tion. We started through the California Alli-
cation and how to choose a proper school. I
firm is set up and how a corporate legal divi-
ance of Paralegal Association; our mission
believe that these methods are applicable to
was to test experienced paralegals so they
most job searches, so this book can be used
can get advanced specialization and certifica-
for other job searches, as well. The content
tion. This was an advanced certified legal as-
of a paralegal search is different, but the
sistant examination; a paralegal would need
general techniques apply to all entry-level
around three years of experience and to have
searches.
successfully passed the CLA (certified legal assistant) examinations sponsored by NALA
Q: So where does the search start?
(National Association of Legal Assistants) to become certified.
A: Trying to decipher what type of law you want to practice is a good starting point. For
Q: How did the book come about?
example, litigation is stressful and might routinely require all-nighters and overtime,
Q: Can you talk a little about your career
A: After working in paralegal placement, a
while something like probate has a slower
path? Where did you get started in terms of
colleague of mine formed a publishing com-
pace -- there isn’t much of a rush when your
goals and training?
pany. The book started out as a handbook for
client is dead! Start out by checking out Mar-
the University of West LA to help entry-level
tindale Hubble, or another law firm search
A: I started out as a teacher. After my BA
jobseekers find work. The first edition of the
source. If you went to college, try to find
from UC Berkeley, I went on to get a Masters
book was published in 1992, and right now I
an attorney who went to that college. Write
in Theatre, and initially taught Drama. Then I
am working on the 4th edition, which is being
an alum and ask for information, look in
got my paralegal certificate at the University
published by Prentice Hall’s text book sec-
newspapers and job boards, and send out 4-5
of West Los Angeles, and went on to work
tion, Aspen Books.
resumes a week, call next week, or e-mail to
as a paralegal for a while and eventually
make sure your resume was received. E-mail
began working as a placement counselor
This is really the easiest to read and under-
is fine, but nothing works like a phone call to
for University of West Los Angeles, placing
stand book; it gets right to the point and uses
make a connection.
paralegal students and alumni into law firms.
the right blend of humor and sarcasm to get
In the mid 1980’s, when the economy was
the point across. It doesn’t read like a text
Q: What sort of qualifications do most para-
booming for law firms, I worked for one of
book, but is actually fun. I have updated it
legals have?
the first paralegal placement agencies in Los
every two or three years. The latest edition
Angeles, which was quite successful. When
contains extensive lists of internet sites and
A: Large law firms tend to hire individuals
the recession of the late 80’s - early 90’s
resources updated to reflect changes in the
with bachelors degrees and ABA-approved
hit and law firms stopped using recruiting
market. The information in the text changes
certificates, but they also hire new college
firms, I continued working on career place-
less because, how to write a good resume,
graduates who want to work in a law firm to
ment with a non-profit. Now I work in Human
when to send thank you notes or what to put
see if they want to go to law school or gradu-
Resources with the Anti-Defamation League
in a cover letter is fairly standard. How to do
ate school. If a firm is looking for a career
in Los Angeles. I taught at various paralegal
a job search does not change much. The book
paralegal, they tend to go with those who
schools for 10 years, and was one of the
further provides information about how a law
have a paralegal certificate. A person can
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LEGAL STAFF TRAINING CORNER
get an AS degree in paralegal studies right
representing clients in front of agencies like
Should non-attorney professionals be al-
after high school, or if you have a bachelor’s
the DMV and the Workers’ Compensation
lowed to practice law? Often the middle class
degree and are serious about being a career
Board in administrative hearings. The way
can’t afford an attorney but they are not poor
paralegal, it might be a good idea to enroll
to get these jobs would be to find workers’
enough for Legal Aid. California passed leg-
in a paralegal certification program. Some
compensation attorneys and administrative
islation to provide legal document assistants,
firms will pay for the right person to get the
agencies.
who are bonded by the state to do limited legal work. This provides a safe alternative
certification while they work. Mediation is another field that former legal
for people who can’t afford attorneys.
Q: What other reflections do you have on the
professionals can choose to work in. The
Paralegal Profession?
County Bar puts on a program where non-
Q: Thanks for all this great information,
attorneys can get training in arbitration and
so any thing else to tell our readers about
A: The ABA defines a paralegal in terms of
mediation for human resources. Media-
yourself, besides this serious stuff?
what paralegals cannot do. A paralegal is
tion and arbitration are usually well-paying
always required to be supervised by an at-
careers and easy transitions for former legal
A: I love to ski, travel, and take care of my
torney; so a paralegal, despite having legal
staff professionals
two-year-old grand daughter.
knowledge, cannot practice law. The ABA says a paralegal cannot give legal advice,
Q: Any opinions on non-
cannot hire clients or make an agreement,
bar certified JD’s practic-
cannot sign legal documents, and cannot
ing as paralegals?
represent a client in court. This puts the paralegal in the support position at all times.
A: Well I knew one -- she was considered a “Super
Q: What are some of the things that parale-
Paralegal;” she was a
gals or other non-attorney legal profession-
disbarred attorney. The
als do in the legal field?
attorneys in the law firm would listen to her a lot more and she did
A: Well one could be a freelance parale-
pretty much everything the attorney did, but
gal -- that’s still a paralegal, but one who
could not sign documents and had to work
works under the supervision of an attorney
under the attorney. Most attorneys do not
on a short-term basis or project-by-project.
like to work with former attorneys since they
Usually, an individual can start out work-
can go off and retake the bar.
ing for a placement agency and then build a reputation. It requires self-marketing in an
Q: What are your reflections on the para-
effective way, but I have known people who
legal profession in general and what you’d
have done it well.
like to see for the future?
Q: Your second book is about transition-
A: I have had the opportunity to look at this
ing out of the paralegal profession, any
field from many angles, from the paralegal
thoughts on that topic?
angle and then from the outside, working on providing paralegals for attorneys, where I
A: In that book, I talk about dealing with
was in the peer position to attorneys. A lot
not-so-nice attorneys and using transferable
has changed in terms of what is required
skills to market yourself out of the paralegal
of paralegals, or legal technicians, as they
profession.
were called when I got started. Right now, California requires a paralegal certificate
A paralegal or another non-attorney profes-
and requires paralegals to maintain MCLE
sional can represent clients in administrative
credits. I think certification is good; it allows
hearings in front of a commissioner. Some
the paralegal to be more of a professional.
people have effectively made a career out of
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