Legal Assistant/Paralegal

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Work Tasks

• Help lawyers and do many of the same things lawyers do
• Prepare reports for hearings, trials, and meetings
• Research details about cases in law libraries and on the Internet
• Write pleadings, motions, contracts, mortgages, separation agreements, and trust instruments
• Work for private laws firms, the government, banks, insurance companies, real estate companies, or themselves
• Work with public records, court documents, research materials, titles, contracts, mortgages, other legal documents, court cases, computers, and clients

Salary, Size & Growth

• $56,500 average per year ($27.25 per hour)
• A large occupation (315,200 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow rapidly (2.6% per year)

Education/Training

• Minimum for Entry: A 2-year program and certification in paralegal training. Some employers prefer to train paralegals on the job, promoting experienced legal secretaries or hiring those with college education but no legal experience
• Employers Prefer: a 4-year degree and certification, with training in a specialized area of law.
• Skills/Courses: College paralegal courses take from two to four years, depending on area of legal specialty.
• Certification/Licensing: Certification is available.