Paralegal Occupation Information
- A paralegal helps lawyers prepare for cases by investigating facts and gathering all relevant information. He writes reports and prepares the paperwork necessary for trials.
- Many paralegals have an associate's degree in paralegal studies or may have a bachelor's degree in one field with a paralegal certificate. They do not need state certification, though many seek it voluntarily from national paralegal organizations.
- Salary depends on experience, according to PayScale.com. Those with one to four years under their belt make $29,186 to $40,567 per year as of January 2010. Those with five to nine years earn $33,798 to $47,465. Finally, those with 10 to 19 years earn $35,912 to $52,822.
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects jobs in this field will grow 28 percent between 2008 and 2018, which is much faster than average.
- About 71 percent of paralegals work for private law firms. Others work for corporate legal departments and for the government, primarily for the U.S. Department of Justice.
Description
Training
Salary
Outlook
Employers
Source...