It depends.  Buying into a good franchise system for a person who  works well in a franchise setting will probably help someone to succeed.  But if the system isn't a good one or the person doesn't work well in a franchise setting, it isn't going to do anything to improve their performance and will probably make it worse.

True words. If you are a paralegal work at home is appealing, but working for someone else or working at your own business, that is the question?

But will you succeed?

This interesting blog posts sheds some light on businesses that people franchise and those they do not:

For franchisees the problem is that most franchising takes place in the industries that are least favorable to entrepreneurs. Take hotels and motels. Over the past 20+ years, computer and office equipment start-ups have been 840 times more likely than hotels and motels to make the Inc 500 list of the fastest growing private companies. You can easily buy a hotel or motel franchise, but there aren't many computer franchises. In fact, franchising is concentrated in the industry sectors with the highest business failure rates - retail and personal service. So the unspoken problem for franchisee performance is lousy industries for entrepreneurs.

I am going to franchise the business of lawsuit funding. Lawsuit funding can be run from home so it is a great paralegal work at home business. Lawsuit funding can bring you returns far higher than just working on an hourly basis. And you can work part time and build it up that way.

And get my 9 page report on the lawsuit financing business for paralegals. See how litigation funding is a good business for you to pursue. I will never share your info and you can opt out anytime.

The Hawaii Supreme Court is considering a proposal by the Hawaii State Bar Association that amends high court rules to spell out the prohibition against the unauthorized practice of law.

The proposal is aimed at clarifying a state law that makes the unauthorized practice by nonlawyers a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine.

The public has until Friday to submit comments.

Marais, who is not an lawyer, said the proposal goes too far by prohibiting a nonlawyer from "selecting, drafting or completing documents that affect the legal rights of another person."

"This basically shuts me down," she said.

Marais is not alone in her criticism of the proposal. Nearly 40 others submitted comments as of last week that criticize the proposal as overly broad.

Most focused on the provision relating to documents, but others pointed to proposed prohibitions against "performing legal research" or "giving advice or counsel to another person about the person's legal rights and obligations or the legal rights and obligations of others."

What I also want to add is that Christine's excellent blog has a lot about the threat to paralegals trying to make a living, like this one:

SANTA ANA, Calif. — A 47-year old Westminster paralegal has been charged with falsely representing himself as an attorney to clients. The paralegal, John Gerard Hedderman, took on civil cases relating to divorces, child custody, and bankruptcy.

He is being charged with two felony counts of grand theft, three counts of unauthorized practice of law, one count of second-degree commercial burglary and 10 felony counts of false impersonation. Hedderman faces up to 12 years and three months in prison if convicted. He is out of jail after posting $70,000 bail.

So here we have the spector of paralegals under threat. I have spoken to a number of paralegals, most recently for a paralegal salary survey, and I can tell you that this is a bummer because it is difficult for paralegals to become independent unless they only work under attorneys.

There is another option, which is lawsuit financing as a business for paralegals. See lawsuit funding franchises and how they work, and info on this home based franchise that is perfect for paralegals.

This beats paralegals document preparation as a home based business because you are not doing anything that competes with lawyers. You are instead helping lawyers by helping their clients who are waiting for settlements so the clients can make ends meet and take the pressure off the lawyers.

Get info on lawsuit financing business by getting my valuable free report. I will never share your email with anyone and you can opt out anytime.

Returns are often quite good.

It takes advantage of your legal background.

You can make money while you are not working, if you are taking care of your kids or on vacation. Still make money even if you don't put out any billable hours.

And this is a very new business, relatively speaking, with a lot of potential.

Sure, paralegals are a hot commodity for employment.

This special type of paralegal, often known as litigation technology support staff, is in demand as law firms, litigation technology shops and corporations wade through the mountains of electronic data amassed before and during lawsuits. And with a limited supply of these professionals, businesses are attracting candidates with tactics not unlike those used for their bosses.

"Oh man, it's tough (to find them)," said Jonathan Sablone, a partner at Nixon Peabody LLP and chief of its e-discovery division. "Today almost every firm needs people to do this."

Nixon Peabody has about 20 such staff nationwide, with a few in its Boston office.

But why would you want a job if you can have a real business?

Please get my exclusive nine page report instantly accessible to you, on how you can start your own lawsuit financing business from home. I will never share your name with anyone and you can opt out anytime you want.

And there is a difference between self-employment and owning a business. Self employment involves you being an independent contractor. Paralegal work is idea for self-employment and it beats working for a wage in many ways. But here I am talking about a paralegals own business — being an entrepreneur.

A good business for a paralegal such as yourself is one that takes advantage of:

• Working from home
• Flexible hours
• Makes money when you sleep
• Takes advantage of your legal background
• Build a business you can sell

There are not many businesses I'd want to get into as a paralegal. Most of them involve self-employment — you get paid piecework to prepare a simple divorce, for example, or prepare briefs and answers for unlawful detainer. That can make you a living and I'm not knocking it. But it doesn't provide the make money while you sleep, build a business you can call that I require in a business.

Very good things can happen if you succeed in your own business. You have something that lets you collect an income when you are raising your family or relaxing in Cancun. This is not true of self employment. I know of what I speak. My wife is a lawyer who is self-employed. When we go away on a trip, her income falls to exactly zero. On the other hand, my business income continues. And if I ever tire of this business, I can sell it. I've sold businesses before and it is a great joy to have this reward when you are done.

So what business do I suggest you pursue? Litigation funding. Advancing money to people who are involved in lawsuits.

Find out more — Is litigation funding a good market for you to pursue?

And learn about this home based franchise possibility.

And without a doubt, please get my 9 page special report on litigation funding and paralegal own your own business opportunities. I will give you instant access and never share your name and email with anyone. And you can participate in an upcoming free live conference call that will tell you all about this business — not a sales pitch, but solid information from the leading guy who is doing very well in this business already as he tells you how he does it. You can leave my list anytime.

Paralegals who are self-employed have to contend with a lot of issues that employed folks don't.

• Health insurance.
• Home office.
• Keeping the computer and printer and Internet connection working (help!!)
• Finding work (where is your next assignment coming from?)
• Getting paid.

On the other side, there are major benefits to self-employment. Especially if you structure your business right. I will address briefly how I would do that but I want to caution you to investigate more carefully and don't take my word for anything — consult a good lawyer and do your homework.

I would never run a business as a sole proprietorship. That means I wouldn't run a business in my name or using a "dba" or "fictitious name." Why? Because that exposes me too much to lawsuits and liabilities.

What I would do is set up either a corporation or a limited liability company, or LLC. Current tax law in my opinion favors an LLC although the reason to do a corporation is if you are making a lot of money as it allows better choices for pension plans…although I doubt whether that consideration outweighs the disadvantages.

So let me tell you what I would do.

I would set up an LLC in my state and do all my business through the LLC. LLCs don't pay taxes. They have to file a return though. So that is an added expense. You have to file a state and federal return for the LLC, and the income or loss goes on that return and is passed through to your individual tax return.

You can write off all sorts of business expenses and home office deduction and so forth. And you pay the big tax, self-employment taxes, on net income rather than gross income.

Some people feel that self employment taxes are not due on LLC income depending on many factors. Talk to a good accountant, a CPA, about that. It all depends upon what your accountant says and how aggressive you want to be.

If something should happen and you owe money you can't pay back, if the LLC owes the money, you are more likely to be able to not suffer any problem with your personal credit. Note that professional liability or malpractice may involve you personally despite the LLC, so an LLC is no substitute for good insurance.

By insulating your business from your personal situation, you are not as likely to affect your personal credit by whatever happens in your business. That is a great thing.

Let me turn to another consideration. If you get involved in the lawsuit financing business, you will definitely want to use an LLC or corporation. It only makes sense. See Paralegals: Home based income opportunities, for more. Or also click on Lawsuit funding financial franchises - how they might work, for further info.

I am launching a franchise for the business of litigation funding and I hope you will get my free instant report on the business and join my exclusive private email list. I never share you iinformation anytime, with anyone, and you can opt out by clicking on a link at the bottom of every email. Just type your name and email now:

How much income do paralegals earn? Freelance paralegal income, I'm talking about.

Keep in mind that paralegals have who are freelance have to pay their own medical insurance. This for my family is $10,000 per year or more. Then there are costs like phone, fax, just keeping the printer fed with toner and paper and you know, all the other things associated with owning a business of your own.

And don't forget self employment tax. That is a good chunk — 15.3%. Ugh! That does not take into account income tax…

Okay, so with that preamble, what do paralegals make? I called around and did a very informal survey. I called in Los Angeles because it is a big market, a major city, and would have a lot of variation.

• $20/hour down to $18/hour if you do 10 hours or more.
• $35/hour up to $45/hour for a "rush" job
• $395 for a "regular dissolution", which is a divorce, plus court costs.

A lot of people can do okay on $35 per hour or $45 per hour but I doubt too many people would be comfortable at $20 per hour considering the need to pay all the expenses I mentioned. Even $35 or $45 per hour can be a struggle unless you get in enough hours.

There are lots of hours you can't bill for. Why? There just are. If you are honest about your billing, that is. It is tough to bill more than 30 or at most 40 hours per week if you have a real life outside of work.

That's my informal survey of what paralegals earn. And here is my suggestion. Check out lawsuit financing as a business you can run from home. You will finance plaintiffs in lawsuits. Click to find how lawsuit funding is the home based franchise that does good in the world. I have a special email list that you can join and I will rush you a free 9 page report on this opportunity, free and instantly available. I never ever share your email or information with anyone, ever. And you can opt out by clicking a link that is at the bottom of every email I send. I look forward to hearing from you.

There is a ton of room in the field for someone who is bright and wants to make a decent hourly amount as a paralegal. Lawyers use paralegal outsourcing more and more and this trend will continue.

What if you want your own business as opposed to paralegal work on an hourly basis?

A business makes money for you even when you aren't working. It can build equity for you meaning you can sell it someday, hopefully for a decent capital gain.

A paralegal like yourself can be self-employed but that isn't the same thing as being an entrepreneur. If you want to check out a business that is designed for paralegals, check outi Is litigation funding a good market for you to pursue?

And please get my free report on lawsuit funding business opportunities for paralegals. I will never share your info with anyone and every email I send has an "opt out" link that you can click to opt out whenever you want. Thanks!