The Fastest Way to Feel Like a Lawyer

You'll be in demand. As a graduate of one of the nation's paralegal schools, according to the US Department of Labor, you'll be prepared to fill a growing need for paralegals. That's because many law offices are trying to reduce costs by assigning tasks that were formerly carried out by lawyers to their paralegal staff.

Work like a lawyer

Today's paralegal has assignments that may include

• Reviewing the facts of cases to make sure that all important information is included
• Writing reports that lawyers use to help prepare their cases
• Tracking documents related to the case
• Writing contracts and mortgages
• Preparing income tax returns or other financial documents.

Paralegal jobs include much time spent on the computer. You should have a passion for doing research. At large law firms, especially, you might work very long hours, but large law firms are likely to pay a better salary.

The top 10 percent of paralegals earn more than $61,000 a year, according to the US Department of Labor. The middle 50 percent earn between $30,000-$50,000 a year. That's not a bad potential return for choosing two years of paralegal training.

Getting certified by a legal organization can help you get a job. Certification may require education, work experience, and passing a test. Some paralegal schools support internships at law firms. This can help you win a full-time job later.

Sources

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Paralegal
  http://bls.gov/k12/law05.htm
• Occupational Outlook Handbook: Paralegal:
  http://bls.gov/oco/ocos114.htm
• National Federation of Paralegal Associations:
  http://www.paralegals.org/
• Paralegal: Understanding the Career for Students:
  http://bls.gov/k12/law05.htm