Description

• 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.
  
  

Training

• 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

• 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.
  
  

Outlook

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects jobs in this field will grow 28 percent between 2008 and 2018, which is much faster than average.
  
  

Employers

• 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.