Legal Assistant Program in Charleston

FROM CLASS TO LAW OFFICE

The Legal Assistant Program at Beta Tech-Charleston has since incorporated a volunteer externship program for students that are in their last module and pending graduation. In December, 2005, the new legal coordinator incorporated the volunteer externship to give the upcoming graduates an opportunity to work in a law firm, government agency or any legal entity that may employ Legal Assistants. The following are testimonials of students that are a success story.

Bridget Cruz is a December, 2005 graduate that was very leery of the

volunteer externship. Mrs. Cruz expressed the following: “When I first started Beta Tech, I thought that it would never end. It got really hard, and there were many times when I just wanted to quit or even take a module off, but I didn’t. I stuck it out and did the best I could while trying to raise two children and being married. Once I got closer to graduation, the subject of externship came up. I didn’t want to work for free. Ms. Carter spoke with me more about it and I decided to pursue the externship. It was going to be hard, but I wanted to try the challenge. While I was finishing school, I went to my externship at Glenn Law Firm. Now, I am working at Glenn Law Firm and I LOVE IT! So, when you start to think twice about pursuing an externship, DON”T! It was the best thing I could have ever done.

Tanisha Green is a February, 2006 graduate that was also leery about the externship, but was ready to allow this volunteer program to work for her. Mrs. Green expressed the following: Upon my last module, I began to think about my future. Ms. Carter came and interviewed me regarding the firm that I wanted to work for. I informed her that I wanted to work in Family Law. Ms. Carter began her networking and placed me with a firm that she thought would be a good match for me. Well, I could have never imagined working in such a law firm. When I went to Small, Spain-Wilder & Cotton, LLC, I was not sure what to expect. Through all of my classes and Ms. Carter’s advice, I did my best and in my last week of my externship, I was offered a fulltime position at the firm. The transition was easier than I could imagine especially from externship to fulltime employment as quickly as a blink of an eye. My advice to all legal students is not to under estimate an externship opportunity. Make it count. This experience is more than I could have ever imagined.