If you have long had an interest in law, but you don’t want to devote six years or more to college in order to become an attorney, you might want to consider pursuing an online legal assistant degree. In most cases, you can complete an online legal assistant degree program in two years or less. Yet, after finishing the online program, you will have the training that is needed to launch an exciting career in the legal world.

After earning your online legal assistant degree, you will be qualified to assist attorneys in the preparation of cases and other legal services. Although you cannot set legal fees, present cases in court or give legal advice, you will play an integral role in completing the research that is necessary to put together an effective case. You may also provide assistance to attorneys by helping to prepare for trials, hearings and corporate meetings. In many cases, legal assistants also prepare legal arguments, obtain affidavits, organize and track files and draft mortgages, separation agreements, contracts and other legal documents. Legal assistants may also assist in the preparation of tax returns, with planning estates and with establishing trust funds.

If you are interested in becoming a legal assistant, you will need to obtain a minimum of an associate degree. It is also possible to launch a career in the field if you already have a bachelor degree and you head back to school to earn a certificate in paralegal studies. Either way, you will find online programs that will be able to help you take the coursework necessary to become a legal assistant.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the income for legal assistants varies greatly according to the amount of training and experience the individual has as well as the size and type of employer the legal assistant works for. Those who work for larger firms or who work in large metropolitan areas, for example, tend to earn more than those who work for smaller firms or in areas that are less populated. Still, the Bureau reports that the annual median salary for legal assistants was $43,040 in 2006. Those who worked for the Federal Government earned the most, with a median annual salary of $56,080. Those who worked for the state government, on the other hand, earned $38,020.