AboutSally A. Kane Expertise I am an attorney and former paralegal with more than a decade of experience in the legal industry. I currently serve as a legal careers expert at About.com, providing guidance to paralegals, law students, lawyers and other legal professionals. Check out the site at http://legalcareers.about.com/ before posting your question - it may already be answered there! I do not answer homework questions or give legal advice.
Experience I have thirteen years’ experience in the legal field, ten as a litigation paralegal and three as a corporate attorney. I have worked in a variety of practice environments including large and small law firms, corporations and the judicial system. I have experience in many practice areas including products liability litigation, insurance defense, worker’s compensation and corporate law.
Publications I profile law firms across the globe for Vault’s best-selling career guides and am a legal career columnist for Litigation Support Today. My work has also appeared in numerous print and web-based publications including Legal Assistant Today, The Legal Intelligencer, Cabin Life, and Working Nurse.
Education
B.A. in English/Writing (Cum Laude) - 1989; Paralegal Certificate (Summa Cum Laude) - 1991; Juris Doctorate – Law Review - 2001.
Expert: Sally A. Kane Date: 4/22/2008 Subject: Paralegal Career
Question Hi, Sally. I'm a sailor stationed at Ft. Meade, and while I'm here I am interested in pursuing a certificate in paralegal studies from the University of Maryland University College. When my contract expires I plan on moving back home to Michigan and applying to the University of Michigan for a pre-law degree. The paralegal certificate will allow me to get a decent job while I'm in college, but I want to be sure that if I get a certificate that I can get a job in Michigan. I'm concerned that the laws and duties of a paralegal in Maryland might be too dissimilar to those in Michigan. Please tell me I'm just superstitious. Thank you.
Answer Hi Josh,
The duties of a paralegal do not really vary by state, they vary by specialty. For example, if you become a litigation paralegal in Maryland, your skills will transfer quite easily to work in Michigan as a litigation paralegal. Local court rules and state laws vary but it should not take you long to get up to speed. However, if you work as a litigation paralegal in Maryland and find employment as an intellectual property paralegal in Michigan, your duties will be quite different.
As far as employment opportunities in Michigan, you should be able to find paralegal work with just a certificate, particularly if you are in the process of earning your degree and have some paralegal experience.
