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Becoming A Paralegal.
Entering the paralegal field will require much more than a love for the legal industry. Being familiar with the rules, regulations and laws the govern the industry will help you to find suitable employment. Learn what you can do to make yourself a valuable asset and landing a job in a law firm will be simple.
Paralegal Salaries.
Although many people become paralegals because of the potential to make a high salary, further education will be required to meet your full potential. Education is tantamount in the paralegal field, but experience, expertise and skills will be the most important factors that employers will be on the lookout for.
Outlook.
There are many high paying jobs that require minimal training but most industries have become over saturated. People interested in getting into the paralegal field will have a better chance of succeeding if they know where the best job markets are located. Find out more about the direction of the paralegal field and prepare yourself for the future.
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Atlanta Paralegal Sentenced In Fraud Case
Ola Suzanne Stowers worked for nearly 10 years as a paralegal to an Atlanta law firm that specializes in real estate closings. The 34 year old paralegal used her position to defraud her employer out of nearly $300,000 over the span of two years. After being instructed to close a bank account with BOA, Stowers redirected funds paid by clients into the fraudulent bank account. Stowers also had the bank change the contact information to her own so that bank statements would be sent to her home instead of to the law firm for which she worked.After forging the signature of one of her employers, Stowers was able to divert more than $175,000 from an escrow account into the fraudulent Bank of America account which she had control over. After several months, Stowers had nearly wiped the bank account clean, but her crimes went unnoticed. Then, nearly two years later, Stowers once again stole nearly $100,000 from her employer in the form of checks.
Stowers was later arrested for identity theft and bank fraud. Her case was handled by the FBI in conjunction with President Barack Obama's newly established Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF). Stowers was convicted on all charges and sentenced to three years in federal prison. She was also held responsible for repaying the more than $260,000 in restitution. Ola Suzanne Stowers plead guilty to her crimes in April of 2011, which is likely why she was able to avoid receiving a much harsher sentence from the judge who oversaw her case.
09.07.2011. 10:23