Like most professions, legal assistants and paralegals are represented by a wide array of organizations (some professional and some not so) that work to improve the overall working conditions of their members. A few of the most prominent paralegal organizations include AAPI, the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) and NALA (the National Association of Legal Assistants). While the American Alliance of Paralegals (AAPI is the new kid in town because it wasn’t started until 2003) is fully geared towards the training of paralegals (through paralegal schools and instructors) both NALA and NFPA focus their spheres of influence on developing professional development programs and promoting a community as well as a global presence for the paralegal profession.
Vital aspects to remember when breaking down a paralegal program:
1. Teaching applicable, useful work skills in conjunction with cornerstone legal theory is an indispensable aspect of any quality paralegal school curriculum. Additionally, a solid paralegal degree program should also embrace everything from torts and business organizations to ethics and legal writing. Furthermore, paralegal courses should focus on enhancing students’ critical thinking abilities, improve and hone communication skills and prepare them emotional and psychologically to handle ethical issues.
2. Who are the individuals making up the faculty and the administration of the paralegal degree school you are looking to attend? Does the curriculum program director have a law degree or minimally have they had solid field experience along with an advanced degree in some aspect of paralegal education? Are the instructors considered to be “experts” in their sphere of influence as a result of their field experience and educational background?
3. Distance learning, also called online learning is becoming all the rage but is getting your paralegal degree or paralegal certificate from an online paralegal school right for you? Online learning is clearly different than traditional campus based learning but regardless of how the information is delivered (i.e. interactive video, tele-courses, etc.) the student / teacher interaction isn’t the same. Plus, online learning takes more self-discipline and motivation than campus learning and you have to make the determination that you have what it takes to complete the assignments.
Even if long term you have aspirations to become an attorney, beginning your career in law as a paralegal is a smart first step. Becoming a paralegal will enable you to get your foot in the door of the legal field, which will open up additional opportunities whether you decided to pursue your law degree or continue to work as a paralegal. Regardless, a paralegal career offers countless opportunities.
Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co (KKR) was launched in the mid-seventies and back then their specialty was in ‘bootstrap’ buyouts. Recently they have set up a unique green enterprise that concentrates not only on maximized profit margins, but likewise on the ecological impact of the companies they invest in.
Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co’s Henry Kravis and the New York based Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) merged a year ago, hoping to make environmentally aware business practice an accepted principle. Issues like air pollution and unmitigated water consumption feature high on their list of objectives.
In order to implement these goals, they employ eco-efficiency which makes use of concepts such as reducing the intensity of materials, recycling programs, and reducing the dispersion of toxic chemicals. Even though the project was an enormous success, no-one recognized how incredible the consequences were until Ken Mehlman, the head of the project and global public affairs, finished the first annual review. As if to outdo all expectations, Ken learned that this program not only increased environmental awareness, but also increased the profitability of each company too. Almost all of the firms linked with KKR and Ken Mehlman now actively participate in the Green Portfolio Project. If you consider that the group has a net worth of almost $100 billion USD, you can imagine what an accomplishment this really is. KKR with the assistance of Ken Mehlman are extending the initial program. The Climate Corps Program administrated by the EDF is one of these projects, it campaigns for ecologically friendly techniques to MBA interns.
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KKR and Ken Mehlman have been formulating a series of analytic tools that administer resources. This type of information is important as any sort of business may without much effort assess all of their everyday processes and identify how any issues can be resolved while simultaneously permitting staff to determine how green they are becoming. Henry Kravis, the KKR, and the Environmental Defense Fund truly are trailblazers when it comes ecologically sound business techniques. In conclusion, the work of these organizations has made environmentally friendly business practice not only viable, but commercially desirable, and their revolutionary ideas are setting a new standard in today’s business community.
