The 3 Steps To Becoming A Paralegal

Do you feel like you were meant to pursue a legal career, but you do not want to handle the front-and-center task of addressing the judge, jury, and witnesses yourself? Your calling might just be to become a paralegal. 

A paralegal is a highly-valued member of any legal team because of their extensive knowledge of the law. Their duties include case planning, legal research, document analysis, client conferencing, and fact-checking.

Are you interested in joining a top Philadelphia criminal defense firm as a paralegal? This article will discuss how you can fulfill such a dream.

Step 1: Get Your Paralegal Education

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania did not set criteria for mandatory education for paralegals in the state. However, if you plan to further your studies and become a Pennsylvania Certified Paralegal (PaCP), you must follow strict schooling regulations. 

Below are some of the accepted educational routes if you seek certification:

• A bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies from an American Bar Association (ABA)-approved program and one year of relevant work experience as a paralegal
• A bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies from an ABA-approved program and one year of relevant work experience as a paralegal
• A bachelor’s degree in any subject from an accredited institution and three years of relevant work experience as a paralegal

Step 2: Get Your Certification (If Desired)

Becoming a PaCP is strictly voluntary and is not necessary to work as a paralegal in the state. However, once you get your PaCP credentials, you can set yourself apart from other non-credentialed professionals.

Below are some criteria for becoming a certified paralegal:

• Must be a legal U.S. resident.
• Must achieve consecutive years of relevant paralegal work, as legally required.
• Must submit a declaration with a licensed Pennsylvania lawyer with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
• Must work as a paralegal.

Call Brennan Law at 215-568-1400 for more information on qualifications, fees, and certification steps.

Step 3: Practice Continuous Learning

As with any profession, continuous learning is necessary if you want to further your career. For instance, we recommend joining a paralegal member association in Pennsylvania, like the Philadelphia Association of Paralegals.

Additionally, if you decide to become a PaCP, you need to complete your required continuing legal education (CLE). You need 12 CLE credits every two years. 

Become A Paralegal Now

Becoming a paralegal can be exciting, especially when you join the right team. It offers career longevity, substantial pay, and a prestigious and certified title. Aside from the occasional long hours during legal proceedings, you can also enjoy a mostly predictable work schedule. 

Are you ready to become a Pennsylvania paralegal? We would love to help you achieve your career goals. At Brennan Law Offices, we boast over 25 years of experience helping the citizens of Philadelphia and others throughout the state with an extensive range of criminal defense issues. 

If you’re looking for a fulfilling career as a paralegal, get in touch with our team through brennanlaw@philadalphiacriminallaw.com or 215-568-1400.

3 Most Common White Collar Crimes In Philadelphia

When you say the word “crime” every single person will immediately think of those crimes like dealing drugs, violence against another person, and/or the use of weapons. But in reality, there are different types of crimes. One of these crimes is white-collar crimes.

Understanding White-Collar Crime

White-collar crimes are non-violent crimes where the primary motive is financial deception. These are crimes done for the sake of financial gain for a company or a business. While white-collar crimes do not mean any harm to anyone, they can still cause many problems, especially to the perpetrator.

Below are the top three most common white-collar crimes in Philadelphia.

1. Fraud

When someone commits a deceitful act for their financial gain, this is immediately considered fraud. Many fraud perpetrators try on different schemes to trick and deceive other people to fall into their traps. There are three different types of fraud:

• Securities Fraud – This involves a person using a brand name or a well-known business name to sell stock to other people.
• Insurance Fraud – These are acts in attempting to gain insurance policy by giving people false and misleading information. Most insurance fraud can come with two different crimes.
• Business Fraud – This involves a company not just stating false statements about their financial status but also doctoring financial documents.

2. Embezzlement

Embezzlement is when an individual and trusted employee who handles the company’s money and property, use their position to steal the company’s funds. This case is mostly about employees who have found ways to transfer huge sums of money from the company to their accounts.

3. Ponzi Scheme

This type of white-collar crime is named after its original perpetrator, Charles Ponzi.  This is an act of crime where a scammer builds an investment scheme that offers “investors” a huge sum of money in return. They attract new investors so the pay for the initial investors comes from them. When the scammer no longer attracts new investors to pay off the initial investors, the scammer runs away with the money. This type of crime is also called “pyramid scamming” in some countries.

No matter which white-collar crime is committed, one will still be able to face charges and varying consequences. Of course, it will highly depend on the severity of your case. No matter which white-collar crime is committed, it is important to find a good lawyer that can help you defend your case.

The Best White Collar Crime Attorneys

If you are looking for the best white-collar crime attorneys that can help you with your white-collar charges, Brennan Law Offices might be the one you are looking for. We have tons of experience in defending individuals with their white-collar crime charges and giving them the best results. We are the best white-collar crime attorney in Philadelphia and have a team of Philadelphia expungement lawyers.