Paralegal and Legal Administrative Assistant Degrees: Opportunities are Calling

The reason is that law firms are trying to reduce costs by delegating to paralegals and legal administrative assistants many tasks previously done by lawyers.

Lawyers still are the only ones who can set legal fees, give legal advice, and present cases in court. But other key work can be more profitably delegated to a growing legal support staff, then reviewed by attorneys.

Your Choice: Legal Administrative Assistant or Paralegal?
The more training you get, the more responsibility you can shoulder. Slightly less training is required to become a legal administrative assistant, or legal secretary. People in this position prepare correspondence and legal papers such as summonses, complaints, motions, responses, and subpoenas under the supervision of an attorney or paralegal. They also may review legal journals and assist with legal research, performing tasks such as verifying quotes and citations in legal briefs.

Salaries for the middle 50 percent of legal administrative assistants range from $27,000 to $41,000, with the top 10 percent earning more than $55,000, according to the US Department of Labor.

Paralegal Jobs: a Step Up in Responsibility
Paralegals need more training, but can take on bigger challenges. They investigate the facts of cases and ensure that all relevant information is considered. They also identify appropriate laws, judicial decisions, legal articles, and other materials that are relevant to assigned cases. They may prepare written reports that attorneys use in determining how cases should be handled. Should attorneys decide to file lawsuits on behalf of clients, paralegals may help prepare the legal arguments, draft pleadings and motions to be filed with the court, obtain affidavits, and assist attorneys during trials. Paralegals also organize and track files of all important case documents and make them available and easily accessible to attorneys.

Paralegal schools typically offer a two-year associate program. Salaries for the middle 50 percent of paralegals, according to the US Department of Labor, range roughly from $30,000 to $49,000. The top 10 percent of people in paralegal jobs earn more than $61,000. Salaries are highest at big law firms and in big cities.

Sources:

• Occupational Outlook Handbook: Paralegal Jobs and Legal Assistants
• Occupational Outlook Handbook: Secretaries and Legal Administrative Assistant Jobs