Paralegal Blog

At Center for Advanced Legal Studies we’ve found students are interested in paralegal training most often because they: 

• Have an interest in the law

• Want to help others

These are two great reasons to begin a paralegal career.  One focuses on a life passion and the other on a significant purpose; two of the most important pieces to a satisfying life. 

There are other reasons to become a paralegal such as:  looking for a new career, thinking about law school but want to be sure, want a legal career but don’t want to go to law school, like a challenge, etc.  Yet, having a love for the law and wanting to help others is foundational to them all.

Do You have an Interest in the Law?

You probably do, or know someone who does, or you wouldn’t be reading this. If you aren’t interested in the law then attending paralegal school is probably not for you.  Paralegals, by design, do most of the same work that an attorney does.  There are just a few exceptions.

Paralegals cannot set client fees
Paralegals cannot give legal advice
Paralegals cannot except or reject clients

Paralegals can do the following:

People use their Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or any other social media site differently.

Are you considering becoming a paralegal? The choices you make can have a big impact on the salary you earn.

To help you prepare, here are three steps you can take to gain information and maximize your salary as you move toward beginning your paralegal career.

With faster than average job growth for paralegals, job competition among paralegals is anticipated to be strong for the foreseeable future. This increased job demand heightens the need for the right education and training to succeed in this profession.

Citing data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the paralegal career is expected to continue to grow.

(See updated article at Higher income and job demand signals growth for paralegals)

The BLS reports salary ranges for paralegals between $29,000 and $75,000 per year. The median annual salary is $49,700. While various organizations are hiring paralegals to handle the duties formerly performed by lawyers, most paralegals are finding employment with private law firms.