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From File Clerk to Paralegal in Six Months

By Lynne DeVenny

Sometimes taking an entry-level job with a reputable law firm is the best way to obtain on-the-job training and show an employer that you are talented, dependable - and a quick study. In "How to switch careers and become a paralegal" (San Diego News Network), California paralegal Kristine Custodio, currently employed as a paralegal at Butterfield Schechter LLP in San Diego, shares how she turned an entry-level job into a paralegal position very quickly:

Custodio, who received her paralegal certificate from UCSD Extension in 2004, began her career at Butterfield Schechter as a file clerk, and within six months she was promoted to a paralegal. During her time as a file clerk, she says she developed a thorough understanding of the firm?s clients and practice areas.

?I familiarized myself with the various forms and documents created for certain issues, which in turn benefitted me when I became a paralegal for the firm. I was able to quickly brief the attorneys on the various cases,? she says.

SDNN's feature article about Custodio's success as a paralegal is a great read. According to her public LinkedIn profile, Custodio has also achieved the Advanced Certified Paralegal designation through NALA, is a member of the San Diego Paralegal Association, currently serving as the group's NALA Liaison, and was a runner-up in Legal Assistant Today's 2008 Paralegal of the Year contest.

Custodio's success illustrates that you never know where that first entry level legal job, such as a receptionist, word processor, administrative assistant or file clerk, will lead you.

Source: San Diego News Network

Full post as published by Practical Paralegalism on September 22, 2010 (boomark / email).