From 2008 to 2018 paralegals and legal assistants’ employment is expected to grow some 28%. This projected growth, which is said to be faster than the average growth of any other occupation, is accounted by the increasing demand for legal service. According to records there is growing trend in the number of people who are in need of legal services in the areas of health care, intellectual property, elder issues, international law, environmental law and criminal law.
In addition to this, paralegals and legal assistants with specializations in areas like bankruptcy, product liability, real estate and medical malpractice are also expected to be in demand in the succeeding years. In 2008, 71% of legal assistants and paralegals were employed by private law firms. These firms are projected to continue being the largest employer of legal assistants in the next few years. In addition to this, other commercial legal departments, real estate firms, banks, insurance companies and insurance firms are also expected to hire paralegal services. The Federal and State plus local government organizations are also expected to open job opportunities for legal assistants and paralegals.
Paralegals are basically concerned in providing assistance to lawyers in preparing for hearings, closings, corporate meetings and trials. Paralegals perform tasks that lawyers did in the past. They can be allowed to investigate facts of certain cases. They also identify judicial decisions, appropriate laws and other pertinent materials for assigned cases. They are also assigned to prepare written reports, prepare “legal” arguments, acquire affidavits and outline pleadings.
Paralegals are allowed to retrieve, systematize and index materials stored in computer databases. They are also tasked to keep records of office’s finances. These and other important tasks are assigned for paralegals and the only things they are not allowed to do which are clear demarcation lines of lawyers’ tasks and paralegals’ include providing legal advice, presenting cases and appropriating legal fees. These tasks however may vary depending on the organization type paralegals belong to.
To be a paralegal or legal assistant one can get an associate degree from a community college offering a paralegal curriculum. People who already have a college degree can get paralegal studies certification from an institution should they wish to enter this profession. There are around a thousand universities and colleges who are offering formal training programs for paralegal aspirants. Pre-requisites for one to be considered in the admission for legal assistant courses vary from one institution to another. Some would require existing college degree while others may accept high school graduates. Some schools even utilize some standardized examination and series of interviews before they accommodate students.
Aside from the legal and technical knowledge requirement, paralegals and legal assistants should also be well-mannered and should uphold “ethical standards of the legal profession.” Those with previous legal experience will also have better chances in getting a position in this field.
As much as the duties and responsibilities of paralegals and legal assistants vary, the wages also differ. There are several factors that could contribute to this difference in salary like the size and type of employer, location of the firm, the training, experience and education of the paralegal. Nonetheless in general, according to the 2008 data, full time wage and salary legal assistants and paralegals earn $46,120.
