I’ve been a paralegal at V20 firm for almost a year and have really enjoyed it. In addition to going to a top law school and trying to be at the top of the class, what steps can I take if I want to come back as a summer and/or 1st year associate? I have great relationships with the associates and partners I work with. Thank you in advance.

You’re covered. When you leave to go to law school just connect with a few partners and tell them you’d really love to come back. But also, no need to limit yourself to that firm either. Your interests and goals may change and frankly, half of the people you worked with there are probably going to be gone by the time you get back.

This is great. Words of advice - The difference between how top paralegals and first year associates are treated can be somewhat similar or incredibly different (even by the same attorney/partner). Good luck!

Seems like you’re on the right track! Taking it to the next level, you could take time to learn the business of your biggest clients. Whether it’s industry mags, WSJ, or just googling around, getting smart on the issues that your client is thinking about on a daily basis could really help you stand out.

Word of caution: some may never see you as more than that smart paralegal who used to work here. You may need to ho elsewhere to avoid being labeled.