With a legal secretary or paralegal degree, you will be able to make important contributions to a law office. In a legal secretary degree program you'll learn the theory and skills needed to promote the efficient operation of a legal office. You'll get hands-on training in paperwork procedures, records-keeping, legal and standard business computer software, accounting, communications and legal ethics. After completing the program you will usually be awarded a diploma. You can then get entry-level work at a law office.
Paralegal programs are associate's degree programs. Some schools call their paralegal programs Legal Assistant programs. In a paralegal program you will take specialized coursework, training you to perform some of the tasks that lawyers perform. Depending on your school, you may learn about business law, legal research and writing, litigation, family law, torts, bankruptcy, real estate, estate and probate, and criminal law. You will lean how to help lawyers prepare for hearings, trials, closings, and corporate hearings. And you may be able to serve as a legal extern, giving you the chance to refine your new skills in the real world. Once you finish your degree, you should be employable as a paralegal or legal assistant for a number of different organizations, including law offices, government agencies, courthouses, and corporate legal departments.