By Kent Pinkerton
Paralegals support lawyers by organizing the massive amounts ofpaperwork law offices generate, running the office smoothly,helping to draft documents and interviewing witnesses.Paralegals may work for lawyers, corporations, or governmentagencies. In general, a college degree is sufficient educationto become a paralegal, although courses do exist to train andcertify paralegals. The National Federation of ParalegalAssociations estimates that 84 percent of paralegals have someform of form paralegal education.
Several specific types of paralegal jobs are available.Litigation paralegals help prepare documents for trials.Corporate paralegals prepare paperwork for business dealings.Probate paralegals interview clients and prepare tax andfinancial documents. Real estate paralegals prepare closings andresearch land laws. Government paralegals work for the WhiteHouse, the Justice Department, or the Federal Trade Commissionand may organize evidence, answer questions for the public, orconduct hearings. Employment paralegals do work similar to alitigation paralegal, but work specifically with unions ordiscrimination cases.
The average starting salary of a paralegal is about $21,500while working normal hours. Most law firms, however, requirethat paralegals work more hours than the typical nine to five,Monday through Friday work week. The extra overtime could bump abeginning paralegal’s salary up to almost $60,000 a year. Anexperienced paralegal can expect to make around $40,000 a year,about the national average, with life and health insurancebenefits.
The National Federation of Paralegal Associations estimates that84 percent of paralegals have had some formal paralegaleducation. A paralegal’s specialization determines what fieldshe could work in, for example medical law or labor movementorganizations. According to a 2001 survey, about 25 percent ofparalegals have an associate’s degree, about 50 percent of allparalegals have a bachelor’s degree, and eight percent haveeither a master’s degree or a J.D. degree. Certificate or degreeprograms are available for paralegals who wish to have moretraining. At a minimum, the National Federation of ParalegalAssociations recommends that aspiring paralegals have a two-yeardegree with an emphasis on paralegal studies. A bachelor’sdegree, however, is recommended.
A paralegal’s resume should list education, experience, awardsand highlight writing abilities, professional and personalskills. Sample paralegals resumes are readily available on theInternet. Be sure to attach a cover letter, as you would whenapplying for any other job, stating your interest and describingthe skills that make you a perfect candidate for the job. Samplecover letters are also posted on the Internet.
A simple way to find a law firm is to go to the local libraryand skim through Martindale Hubbell, an index of every lawyer inthe country organized by city and law firm. Online sites alsoallow registered users to browse hiring law firms
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