Paralegal Schools

Paralegal Careers

Want to experience the excitement of the courtroom without the drama of earning a full law degree? Professionals in the paralegal field are assigned jobs that lawyers used to do. And that means more responsibility, more accountability, and more pay.

Career Overview
Paralegals are the right hand professionals of lawyers and litigators. They perform much of the behind-the-scenes operations in preparation for trial: preparing official court documents, precedence research, reviewing case…

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Paralegal Careers (continued from top)

Want to experience the excitement of the courtroom without the drama of earning a full law degree? Professionals in the paralegal field are assigned jobs that lawyers used to do. And that means more responsibility, more accountability, and more pay.

Career Overview
Paralegals are the right hand professionals of lawyers and litigators. They perform much of the behind-the-scenes operations in preparation for trial: preparing official court documents, precedence research, reviewing case loads to ensure that all required materials are gathered, and creating financial statements for the firm. The US Bureau of Labor statistics reveals that employment is expected to increase by 22% in the coming decade; that's much faster than the national average.

Employment Options
Paralegal careers are another example of a highly diversified industry catering to a wide range of professional interests. Real estate, business litigation, and criminal representation are just a few of the thrilling specialties that you might choose to pursue. Hiring firms will also pay for advanced education in these specialties to bring their paralegals up to speed. O*Net OnLine reports some of the more common professional titles for professional with paralegal degrees include Legal Assistant, Probate Paralegal, and Judicial Assistant.

Earnings Potential
Graduates of paralegal schools are finding their salaries based on a combination of experience and responsibilities. According to Payscale, the median annual salary for those just starting out in the field hover around $34,000. For those will twenty or more years experience can earn over $46,000 per year. Annual bonuses awarded by high-performing firms range from $900 to almost $1,400.

Sources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics
O*Net OnLine
Payscale