Legal assistants and paralegals are professionals who help lawyers and other legal professionals.

One of the most common routes to becoming a legal assistant or paralegal is to enroll in a community college program that leads to an associate’s degree in the field. Another typical method, which is mostly for people who already have a bachelor’s degree, is to enroll in a paralegal studies program that leads to certification.

A lot of legal assistants and paralegals have associate degrees in paralegal studies or a bachelor’s degree combined with a certificate in paralegal studies, which is a common combination. Currently, only a limited number of colleges and universities offer bachelor’s and master’s degrees in paralegal studies. Employers that hire college graduates with no legal experience or promote experienced legal secretaries to the position of paralegal, train them on the job as paralegals. In certain cases, they have received practical expertise in a technical subject that is beneficial to law companies, such as in tax preparation for estate planning or tax preparation, criminal justice, nursing or health administration for personal injury practice.

With more than 250 paralegal programs accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and an estimated 1,000 colleges and universities, law schools, and proprietary institutions providing formal paralegal training programs, the sector is well-represented in the United States. Although many schools do not need accreditation from the American Bar Association, graduating from an ABA-approved program might improve one’s career possibilities since it gives one more credibility in the eyes of certain companies.

Program admission requirements vary widely, ranging from a few college credits or courses for some to a bachelor’s degree for others. High school graduates, those with legal experience, those who have passed a standardized test, and those who simply have a favorable personal interview are all eligible to apply for admission.

Many legal assistant and paralegal programs are available, ranging from 2-year associate degree programs to 4-year bachelor’s degree programs, as well as certificate programs that may be completed in as little as a few months. Most certificate programs offer rigorous and specialized paralegal instruction for those who already possess bachelor’s or master’s degrees in related fields. Associate and bachelor’s degree programs, on the other hand, often integrate paralegal training with courses in a variety of other academic topics.

The level of paralegal training programs may obviously vary, with the higher-quality schools often offering job placement services.

Various courses are available, ranging from introducing students to legal applications of computers, including how to conduct legal research on the Internet, to more and more paralegal training programs offering internships to assist students in gaining practical experience by working in the real world for several months. Internships may be found in a variety of settings, including private law firms, the offices of public defenders or attorneys general, banks, corporate legal departments, legal assistance organizations, and government organizations. Clearly, the experience acquired is a valuable asset when looking for work after graduation, and for many, it may lead to a position with the firm with whom they interned in the first place.

A voluntary certificate from a professional association is not required by most companies, but it does offer benefits when it comes to getting employment. Certification criteria have been developed by the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA), and they demand a variety of different combinations of education and experience. Paralegals who complete their requirements are able to sit for a two-day examination, which is administered three times a year at one of many regional testing locations around the country. Anyone who passes the exam may subsequently utilize the Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) title to distinguish themselves. The National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) also provides an advanced paralegal certification for individuals who want to specialize in certain areas of the law.

Those who have achieved a bachelor’s degree and have at least two years of experience as legal assistants or paralegals may take the Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam to get professional recognition. They will be able to use the Registered Paralegal (RP) designation after they have passed this exam.

Legal assistants and paralegals must be able to record and convey their findings and conclusions to their supervising lawyers in a clear and concise manner. They must also be familiar with legal language, possess strong research and investigation abilities, and be able to do legal research with the use of a computer and the internet. It’s also important for them to keep up with any changes in the law that may have an impact on their field of expertise. Participating in continuing legal education seminars is the most popular option for many legal assistants and paralegals to broaden their knowledge base and skills.

Because legal assistants and paralegals interact with members of the public on a regular basis, they must be “shining examples” of the highest ethical standards expected of those working in the legal profession. Legal assistants are required to adhere to ethical rules published by the National Association of Legal Assistants, the National Federation of Paralegal Associations, and a few individual states.

In 2004, there were around 224,000 employment opportunities for legal assistants and paralegals, with approximately 70% of them working for private law firms; the majority of the remaining employees worked for corporate legal departments and different levels of government. The United States Department of Justice is the biggest employer in the federal government, followed by the Social Security Administration and the United States Department of the Treasury, in that order. In addition, a limited number of paralegals operate their own firms and work as freelance legal assistants, providing their skills to lawyers or corporate legal departments on a contract basis.

In general, employment in this industry is expected to expand much faster than the national average. According to forecasts, the present trend of companies attempting to decrease costs by recruiting paralegals to fulfill functions formerly performed by attorneys will continue for the foreseeable future. As a consequence, job possibilities are expected to rise at a rate much greater than the national average during the next 10 years.

Compensation in this profession, like in many fields, varies widely due to the large number of factors involved. Nevertheless, in general, pay is determined by education, training, experience, the kind and size of the company, as well as the geographic location of the position. Over the course of a year, legal assistants and paralegals working for major law firms or in large metropolitan areas earn much more than those working for smaller firms or in less populous areas. Many employees earn bonuses on top of their base income. In the middle of 2004, the average annual wage for all legal assistants and paralegals was little more than $39,000.