What Do You Need to Become a Paralegal?
As of May 2010, no states require any specific education or training for a person to practice as a paralegal. Additionally, no regulatory board oversees the profession. Paralegals are directed and managed by the attorneys for whom they work. While many paralegals go to school to study and learn the profession, many also learn everything they know on the job. The only thing you need in order to become a paralegal is an attorney willing to hire you and allow you to work for him.
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Primary Skills
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Paralegals need to have outstanding communication and organizational skills and be able to efficiently juggle numerous ever-changing tasks in a fast-paced environment. Excellent writing and phone skills are key, as are the ability to process and maintain voluminous paper records and the focus to of schedule meetings, depositions, hearing and trials that involve a number of different parties.
Function
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Paralegals, also called legal assistants, are individuals who, through training or education, perform legal work that an attorney might do himself. They draft legal pleadings, perform legal research and assist lawyers in all manner of courthouse transactions from hearings to arbitration to mediation.
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Education
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While no formal education is required, it can help people get a foot in the door. Various paralegal programs are offered across the country to include two- and four-year degree programs and certification training.
Certification
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Some firms (mainly very large ones) require a B.S. or B.A. degree along with paralegal certification in order to practice as a legal assistant with their attorneys. Paralegal certification programs vary widely in cost, length and stature. The ABA investigates interested paralegal programs for inclusion on its approved list.
Salary
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Salaries for paralegals vary depending on location, type of practice and the education and experience of the legal assistant, but according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, paralegal salaries in 2009 ranged from $29,000 to $73,000. The average annual wage across the country was $46,000.
Associations
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Many paralegals join local and national associations to network, lobby and keep abreast of ongoing changes in the field of practice. The two largest national paralegal organizations are NALA (National Association of Legal Assistants) and NFPA (National Federation of Paralegal Associations). Most state bar organizations also have a paralegal division.
Warning
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The majority of paralegals work directly with attorneys, but a few independent paralegals work with the public. The latter group of legal assistants must be particularly careful not to run afoul of unauthorized practice of law statutes.
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References
Resources
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