Overcoming Challenges as a New Paralegal
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Challenges faced by new paralegals in Ontario, Canada. Strategies for overcoming challenges and becoming a successful paralegal.
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Overcoming Challenges as a New Paralegal
- 1. I AM A LICENCED PARALEGAL ~ NOW WHAT? PRESENTED BY AMANDA J EDWIN BEd; MSc Licenced Paralegal –LSUC# P07840 www.amandaedwin.com
- 2. PRESENTATION AGENDA • A) Personal Introduction • B) Challenges faced by new paralegals • C) Strategies to become a successful paralegal • D) Open Discussion
- 3. AMANDA JASMINE ANNE EDWIN Born in Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies Married with 3 children (all young adults now) Served 21 years as an elementary teacher/Head of Department for the Ministry of Education in T & T. Earned a Bachelor in Education - Educational Administration (Hons) and a Masters in Science-Sociology with a focus on Education and Teacher Professionalism. Migrated to Canada in 2008; settled in Kitchener, ON. Taught adults for 2 years in a Return to Work Program through a private educational provider, then got laid off in 2010. Went back to school in 2011 to earn a diploma in Paralegal Studies ~ attended triOS College in Kitchener. Graduated in 2012 and completed licensing process through the LSUC. Started working in the legal field prior to licensing and continued since then, working primarily in Provincial Offences. Now an Associate Paralegal in a paralegal firm practicing in Small Claims and Landlord & Tenant Tribunals.
- 4. CHALLENGES FACED BY NEW PARALEGALS Definition of ”Challenge”: a difficult task or problem; something that is hard to do. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
- 5. 1. Lack of experience 2. Little or no networks/mentors 3. Competition for jobs 4. Low pay for newbies 5. Ethnicity or racialized background The Main Challenges
- 7. BECOMING A SUCCESSFUL PARALEGAL Face your challenges Take each challenge as a learning tool. Learning means you are growing and getting better at what you do. Manage expectations Manage your expectations and those of your clients. Be real about outcomes. Unreal expectations ultimately lead to disappointment, anger, and resentment. Create a Network Grow you network; this could be your source of a job or referrals. Join forums on Facebook eg Paralegal Corner; LinkedIn Attend networking sessions; get involved in the Paralegal Communty.
- 8. Tel: 519-574-0340 E-mail: swoparalegal@gmail.com Website: www.amandaedwin.com Created by Amanda Edwin Copyright 2016 Contact information
Editor's Notes
- Because someone is faced with a challenge does not mean the task is not possible or the problem is insurmountable. We all face challenges at some point in our lives whether it is personal, social or otherwise. Your mind set and your personal goals should be the force behind facing your challenges. The path to becoming a successful paralegal is no different. My question to you is, Are you up for the challenge?" Of course it helps knowing what some of those challenges are so that you are better prepared.
- Lack of experience: what you learn is school is just the tip of the iceberg. You learn the basics; but you truly learn the skills and how to apply those skills when you get into the field. You all have to start at the beginning – take that time to observe and learn. Little or no networks: Having a network is important in this field. Most paralegals depend on referrals to get work. If people don’t know who you are, you limit your chances of success. Competition for jobs – more and more individuals are entering the field now making the jobs less accessible. There are various job roles that paralegals can work in eg Legal Assistant, Legal Office Administrators etc…this may not be the ideal job but sometimes it is the one that is available. To prevail as a paralegal, you must be prepared to work hard and show your worth – only then you become recognized and respected. The pay is not great to start...new paralegals have the wrong perception of the pay. I started at $11.50 an hour as a legal receptionist then moved on to a larger company as a paralegal/office adminstrator earning about $15 an hour. I left at $20 an hour on average. This is about normal for paralegals with about 4-5 years experience. More experienced paralegals who work on their own average higher incomes, but that came with experience. Many of us are entering the field as a second or even third career. Many of us are immigrants....this puts us at a slght disadvantage; sad but true. Language barriers are the main issue...the court system uses either English or French; so if neither of these is your first language, you might be in for some problems. Particularly in small claims court where pleadings have to be written. Poorly written documents reflect badly on the paralegal. Immigrants need to set themselves at a higher standard to compete with born and bred Canadians.
- An important thing to note: there are other ideas I can talk about with regards to becoming a successful paralegal, but these 3 are the ones I have found that no-one really tells you about. Sure you need to learn the law and how to apply it; that is part of the job. In all of this, YOU are the thread that runs through each of these. How you conduct yourself as an individual defines how you do things as a Paralegal. I am always mindful that I am a professional. People perceive who you are by your actions; your reputation precedes you. Build and maintain the respect of your colleagues.