There are dozens of reasons why a career as a paralegal is so attractive. As an illustration, are you aware that the average paralegal salary is roughly around $34,000 a year? Paralegals working in government positions have the potential to gross twice as much. Not only does a career as a paralegal pay well, but it does not always require a degree. Law firms are in dire need of paralegals with experience. Paralegal job opportunities are expected to increase faster than most opportunities through the year 2014.
With numerous benefits, it only makes good logic that paralegal careers are becoming more and more widespread. So what exactly does a paralegal do?
To begin with, paralegals are actually legal assistants. It is true that the words are virtually interchangeable. Paralegals help attorneys with many of their day-to-day tasks, they may not provide legal advice. A paralegal job might include helping prepare legal documents, performing research, and aiding with a great deal of an attorney's prepatory work. They can gain employment in many different specialties; ranging from intellectual law to bankruptcy law. Approximately 70% of all paralegals in the United States gain employment within a law firm.
The requirements are minimum for getting a job as a legal assistant throughout most of the U.S. Even though there are no set requirements for a paralegal education, a certification is found desirable by many law firms across the nation. Here are a couple of popular exams leading to certifications:
Certified Legal Assistant Exam (CLA exam) offered through the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA).
Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE) offered through the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA).
Since the certifications require you to meet certain specifications in order to take them, you may also consider gaining an education in paralegal studies. You can choose classes at all types of levels (including undergraduate and graduate programs).
It is possible to gain employment as a paralegal even without a certification or education, but you may have a more difficult time getting a job and it will likely be for lower pay. Many law firms tend to hire those with an education in paralegal studies. So while it is possible to get hired with no formal training, it will make your life easier to gain some before applying for your first position as a paralegal.
