You鈥檇 like to advance your career, and you think becoming a paralegal might be the
way to do it. It鈥檚 a fast-growing field that offers challenging legal work for go-getters
and problem-solvers like you 鈥� and the certification process is much faster than for
a law degree. Got questions? Read on to know what you can expect as a paralegal.
What Does a Paralegal Do?
Paralegals provide crucial support to lawyers, assisting them in 鈥�.鈥� A paralegal might be asked to , conduct research, write reports or legal documents, schedule depositions, interview clients, and more. Although paralegals do not practice law or represent clients in court, they are key members of a legal team.
Here鈥檚 the official :
鈥淎 legal assistant or paralegal is a person, qualified by education, training or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible.鈥�
鈥淪ubstantive legal work鈥� means paralegals are not relegated to . Their duties require both analysis and a solid foundation of legal concepts. Some
paralegals even specialize in a particular area, such as estate planning and probate
or immigration law.
Where Do Paralegals Work?
Many paralegals work in:
- Law firms
- Government agencies
- Corporate legal departments
Job duties vary depending on the workplace. A paralegal in a law firm might help , a corporate paralegal might draw up an , and a government paralegal might create a legal information guide.
What Is the Salary and Job Outlook for Paralegals?
In May 2018, the salary was $50,940. And it鈥檚 a good time to become a paralegal: The Bureau of Labor
Statistics expects employment opportunities for paralegals and legal assistants to
鈥�.鈥�
Is My Personality a Good Fit for this Profession?
To determine whether you鈥檇 like being a paralegal, take some time to get to know yourself.
- Take the assessment. You鈥檒l emerge with a better idea of your personality.
- Complete the online . In less than 10 minutes, you鈥檒l have an overview of your interests and a list of career recommendations.
You can learn about the typical qualities of paralegals by perusing websites such as the and . For example, a good paralegal likely possesses strong communication, computer, and critical thinking skills, and might also be described as being:
- Detail-oriented
- Analytical
- Organized
- Ethical
- Dependable
- Cooperative
- Adaptable
Finally, ask yourself whether aspects of the paralegal job appeal to you.
- Do you find legal concepts interesting? As a paralegal, you will be required to keep up with legal and recent changes to laws.
- Do you enjoy writing? You will likely be doing a lot of it, whether writing reports or drafting documents such as mortgages and shareholder agreements.
- Are you efficient? You will be responsible for maintaining files.
- Are you willing to work longer hours? Sometimes you may need to log more than a 40-hour week to , and new paralegals may be required to work up to a week.
- Can you tolerate some job-related stress? Being a paralegal involves keeping your cool while handling stressful situations.
- Do you have strong people skills? Building relationships with clients would be an essential part of your career.
- Do you want to enact change in your society? As a paralegal, you can make a positive
difference in people鈥檚 lives, especially if you work at a nonprofit or for a community
legal organization.
How Can I Learn More About this Career?
Reading this article is a good first step in researching the paralegal profession. Next, you can try:
- Reaching out to paralegal associations. The and the may be able to provide more information or direct you to a paralegal in your area.
- Contacting a paralegal certificate program. If you tell them you鈥檙e interested in
this field, most programs will be happy to connect you with faculty who can tell you
more.
How Do I Become a Paralegal?
If you鈥檝e decided the paralegal profession is right for you, we have good news. It doesn鈥檛 take long to become certified in this field. Common education options include:
- An associate degree in paralegal studies
- A certificate in paralegal studies (with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in another field)
You can complete many certificate programs within a few months. For example, USF offers a four-month-long Paralegal Certificate Program that covers:
- Legal processes
- Court structure
- Interviewing
- Investigation
- Document preparation
- File maintenance
- Correspondence
- Research
- Writing and analysis
- Substantive topics of law such as torts, contracts, and civil procedure
Are you interested in learning more about USF鈥檚 Paralegal Certificate Program? Do you want to dive deeper into what it means to be a paralegal? We鈥檙e happy to help. Explore our program website or contact us at 813-974-6263.