Paralegal Education Reveals Immediate and Future Career Opportunities for Working Mother

Paige can recall having a lifelong interest in law. At one point, she wanted to be a police officer, but motherhood changed her mind. Paige began working as a dispatcher for the Ohio State Highway Patrol while raising her family. She enjoyed the job and learning about law enforcement, but she needed to acclimate to working long days, every weekend, and missing holidays. “I enjoyed my job in dispatching. But it’s not on a family-friendly schedule,” Paige says. “It was because of my children that I left the state patrol. Since then, I’ve worked other odd jobs but never really found something I was happy with.”

It was after her divorce that Paige secured her first position as a legal assistant, finding it interesting to see how people lean on their legal team. Paige discovered she enjoyed helping people through life’s crucial moments during good and bad times. “I loved assisting on adoption cases,” she says. “It was rewarding to see how happy the families and children were. It’s an exciting time for everyone.”

Other times, working with legal clients prompted Paige to provide a box of tissues because the person’s life, as they knew it, was changing and they shed tears. “Being that bright light that they need during that time is extremely important,” Paige says.

“I had been out of school for a few years, and the friendly staff here made it a smooth transition for me to get back into the swing of things.”

-Paige W., UC Online Law and Paralegal Studies Student

Paige asked herself what she could do to further her interest in law and realized becoming a paralegal was a natural next step. She reviewed online degrees and found the Associate of Applied Business in Law and Paralegal Studies from the University of Cincinnati (UC) Online to be a top-notch program with approval and accreditation from the American Bar Association (ABA).

According to Paige, UC Online’s application process was simple. “I had been out of school for a few years,” Paige says, “and the friendly UC Online staff made it a smooth transition for me to get back into the swing of things.”

Paige remembers UC Online’s staff emailing her throughout the admissions process to keep things on track. She found our university’s communications to be helpful and straightforward, which meant a lot to her as Paige continued to work full-time.

Student Support Makes a Difference

Being able to tap into the assistance of her UC Online Student Success Coordinator was also meaningful for Paige. The coordinator worked to answer her questions and looped in Paige’s Academic Advisor when additional help was needed.

Paige also found immense support from Page Beetem, Associate Professor and the Director of Law and Paralegal Studies at UC Clermont. “Page has been the biggest help and my strongest supporter,” Paige says. “We share the same name, which is cool. She is a kind person who will never leave you in the dark. That goes for all the professors in the program.” (Hear more from Page, along with the program coordinator for the Bachelor of Applied Business in Law and Paralegal Studies program, Emma.)

UC Online’s faculty understands the flexibility working adults need and that our students have lives outside school. Paige says professors realize many students are also parents who work full- or part-time. She says the teaching team is prompt in responding and alerting students to upcoming deadlines.

Paige has been pleasantly surprised by the camaraderie among staff and fellow students. “Everyone is so supportive, whether it’s the program directors, advisors, coordinators, professors, or classmates. Even studying online, I make friends with classmates,” she says.

“Everyone is so supportive, whether it’s the program directors, advisors, coordinators, professors, or classmates. Even studying online, I make friends with classmates.”

A Future in the Legal Field

After starting her associate degree, Paige decided she would take her education further by taking advantage of the seamless transition into UC Online’s Bachelor of Science in Law and Paralegal Studies degree, which she looks forward to finishing by spring 2023. It will be a full-circle moment for her because, in the past, she placed college on the back burner. “I want to prove to my kids I overcame many obstacles and worked hard. There were nights when I was overwhelmed, but I did it.“ Paige says.

When it comes to having work/life balance and positive mental health, Paige looks no further than her family and their two German Shepherds to help relieve stress and any worries. She does have one guilty pleasure of reading books — crime-related, naturally.

“I want to prove to my kids I overcame many obstacles and worked hard.”

During the UC Online experience, Paige determined her end goal is to become an attorney. Upon graduation, she plans on enrolling in law school and has already started filling out numerous applications, sourcing letters of recommendation, and preparing her personal written statement.

Considering a UC Online Degree in Law and Paralegal Studies?

If you’re evaluating an online associate degree, bachelor’s degree, or certificate in law and paralegal studies from UC Online, here are five aspects to keep in mind:

• The paralegal field is emerging as one of the fastest-growing job markets. Lawyers depend on paralegals with higher education experience. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, paralegal employment is higher than average, with a projected growth rate of 12% through 2030.
• Students in UC Online’s Associate of Applied Business in Law and Paralegal Studies take at least nine credit hours a semester, with 60 total credits required to complete the degree. Those who start in associate program can benefit from a seamless transition into the bachelor’s program should they wish to further their education.
• Our Bachelor of Science (BS) in Law and Paralegal Studies requires 120 total credits.
• If you already have an associate or a bachelor’s degree, you can consider our Post-Associate Certificate or Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Law and Paralegal Studies.
• The American Bar Association (ABA) has approved all of our paralegal studies programs. Classes are taught by licensed attorneys with extensive experience working with paralegals.
• Our 100% online programs do not require campus visits to UC. You can choose to study full- or part-time, which allows you to balance work and family obligations while completing your degree.

Ready to start your journey to a rewarding, fulfilling career, working in law as a paralegal?

Contact us to get started!