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What Is A Paralegal | How To Become A Paralegal

Paralegal Salary

The paralegal salary can be quite competitive, especially for those working for top firms. Paralegals are the men and women who assist and support lawyers, and without their daily contributions, lawyers and courts would not be able to function.

What type of salary can one expect as a paralegal? Studies of national averages across specialties and in the corporate and public sectors can demonstrate the best options for paralegal salaries.

The entry level paralegal salary will depend upon location and the nature of the law firm. On average, the paralegal salary for someone with less than one year experience will range from the high $20,000’s to the mid $40,000’s. Those looking to work in more metropolitan areas will start with a higher salary. Places such as New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, New Jersey and Los Angeles all had higher starting salaries in recent reports.

Paralegal salaries are also higher for positions in the corporate law sector or law firms. Government or other public paralegal salaries will on the average be lower than those in the corporate world. Paralegals practicing in high growth industries such as software can earn up to $78,000 per year, according to some studies. Paralegal salaries will also vary slightly by specializations, such as litigation, personal injury, real estate or family law. Taking into account all the variations of specialty and experience, the overall average paralegal salary in the US was $52, 979 in 2007.  According to the BLS, the medium paralegal salary in 2008 ranged from $36,080 to $59,310.

The charts (by Payscale.com) below demonstrate the average salaries for paralegals practicing in a selection of specialties within law firms, as well as the salaries for corporate law practice.

Looking at the average paralegal salaries across all sectors, a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that among the top industries that employ paralegals, the highest salaries are with the Federal Executive branch of the US government, followed closely by paralegal positions in companies or other enterprises.

Paralegal salary packages often also include bonuses, paid sick leave and vacation time, medical and dental insurance and other compensations. When considering salary, you should be sure to factor in all the aspects of the salary package.

Along with the type of paralegal work you choose, you should also take into account that location does matter. Metropolitan areas across the United States will almost always typically offer higher salaries. Along with paralegal salary considerations, you will also want to think about the availability of paralegal positions in any given area. Both metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas across the United States offer a wide range of paralegal salary options.

The chart below shows the areas of the country with the highest percentage of paralegal positions.

State	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
California	27,260	1.95	1.00	$28.74	$59,790
New York	23,350	2.80	1.43	$27.36	$56,920
Florida	19,690	2.77	1.42	$22.20	$46,180
Texas	17,610	1.75	0.90	$23.07	$47,980
North Carolina	9,280	2.46	1.26	$20.03	$41,650

This chart shows the states with the highest average paralegal salaries.

State	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia	6,350	9.94	5.09	$31.60	$65,740
California	27,260	1.95	1.00	$28.74	$59,790
New York	23,350	2.80	1.43	$27.36	$56,920
New Jersey	6,530	1.73	0.89	$25.42	$52,870
Illinois	9,010	1.63	0.84	$25.34	$52,700

This chart examines the average salaries as well as the percentage of employment for paralegals.

Metropolitan area	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division	17,370	3.49	1.79	$29.11	$60,540
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division	9,840	4.30	2.20	$30.72	$63,890
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division	7,790	2.04	1.05	$29.26	$60,860
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL Metropolitan Division	7,510	2.12	1.09	$25.84	$53,740
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA	6,130	2.78	1.43	$23.80	$49,510
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX	5,720	2.29	1.17	$23.79	$49,480
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division	4,700	2.83	1.45	$24.60	$51,170
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division	4,530	2.51	1.29	$26.39	$54,900
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division	4,200	2.10	1.07	$25.66	$53,380
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ	4,020	2.39	1.22	$23.53	$48,950

This final chart shows less populous metropolitan areas of the United States which still have a high percentage of paralegal positions.

Metropolitan area	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Charleston, WV	720	5.10	2.61	$18.64	$38,760
Winston-Salem, NC	960	4.82	2.47	$18.05	$37,550
Jackson, MS	1,140	4.68	2.40	$19.25	$40,030
Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, FL Metropolitan Division	3,080	4.47	2.29	$21.87	$45,480
Cheyenne, WY	180	4.40	2.26	$19.22	$39,970
New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA	2,210	4.39	2.25	$22.69	$47,190
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division	9,840	4.30	2.20	$30.72	$63,890
Tallahassee, FL	660	4.15	2.13	$19.36	$40,270
Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Metropolitan Division	3,640	3.80	1.95	$24.87	$51,730
West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach, FL Metropolitan Division	1,850	3.72	1.91	$24.49	$50,940

This chart shows the metropolitan areas that pay the highest paralegal salaries.

Metropolitan area	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division	3,460	3.64	1.87	$31.98	$66,520
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	2,250	2.63	1.35	$31.38	$65,280
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division	9,840	4.30	2.20	$30.72	$63,890
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	770	0.67	0.34	$29.97	$62,340
Napa, CA	70	1.15	0.59	$29.87	$62,140
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division	7,790	2.04	1.05	$29.26	$60,860
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division	17,370	3.49	1.79	$29.11	$60,540
Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division	1,920	2.02	1.03	$28.89	$60,100
Trenton-Ewing, NJ	580	2.71	1.39	$28.58	$59,450
Worcester, MA-CT	190	0.82	0.42	$28.48	$59,230

Obviously, your paralegal salary will increase with the more years of experience you have. The chart below shows paralegal salaries based upon experience. As seen, there is the potential to earn quite a high salary if you are committed to a successful paralegal career.

Experience Level	Lowest 10%	Average Salary	Highest 10%
0 – 2 years	$32,106 or less	$45,080	$58,844 or more
2 – 5 years	$39,190 or less	$52,288	$65,657 or more
5 – 8 years	$44,556 or less	$57,574	$71,221 or more
8+ years	$52,792 or less	$68,779	$86,440 or more
Paralegal Mgr	$56,189 or less	$86,285	$120,517 or more

What is a Paralegal

For those interested in the legal profession and also looking for a good salary, becoming a paralegal is an excellent option. Technically, a paralegal is a legal assistant, but the day to day responsibilities are quite similar to those of a lawyer. Paralegal work is perfect for those who are hard working, detail oriented and broad minded. A paralegal is essentially an assistant to an attorney or a law firm. The paralegal job description includes assisting lawyers in handling day to day legal matters. They also contribute to research and analysis of legal documents, and prepare the documents needed for legal proceedings. These documents include briefs, appeals, contracts and the like. Paralegals must have a working knowledge of the specific law of their field, gained either through experience, education, or both. All in all, they manage the routine functions related to legal actions, and are supervised by an attorney or team of attorneys. Paralegals can work in the public sector, with the government or other non-commercial interests. They can also work in the private sector for corporations. Within both categories there are a myriad of specializations of legal practice. Paralegals are also sometimes referred to as legal assistants.

What Does a Paralegal Do?

A paralegal’s responsibilities will often shadow the work done by the attorney or firm. Attorneys may choose to give certain aspects of their work to their paralegal. As your paralegal career progresses, you can look forward to taking on even more responsibilities at your job, and perhaps even assuming some of the attorney’s responsibilities. It should be noted that paralegals may not technically practice law, which includes giving legal advice or presenting court cases.

Paralegal Job Description

The paralegal job description is lengthy and encompasses a range of duties and challenges. On a daily basis, a paralegal has many different jobs. The primary task for a paralegal in to help lawyers prepare for their work in the court room or in meetings. They can even take part in researching and checking facts for court cases. Paralegals gather all necessary and appropriate information for a case or other legal proceeding and organize it for the lawyer’s use. They can also assist the attorney in writing reports. Typical legal documents such as motions and arguments are also prepared by the paralegal. Finally, paralegals are responsible for documenting and organizing all case files.

In addition to the above work, paralegals are also qualified to help write a variety of legal documents, such as contracts or tax returns. In some offices or firms, the paralegals will manage other employees or keep records. Of course, the nature of a paralegals day to day workload will depend upon the type of firm or public institution they work for, and the amount of responsibility will depend upon the years of experience the paralegal already has. The hours of a paralegal’s work week will vary depending upon caseload. At times the hours can be long, but many paralegals also receive bonuses and days off to balance out the workload.

The Process Of Becoming A Paralegal

There are several routes you can take to become a paralegal. You can major in paralegal studies, earning either a 4 year Bachelor’s degree or a 2 year Associate’s degree. There are also separate certification courses. The American Bar Association also has standards for the education and training of those in the paralegal profession. Those who already have a degree will find it relatively quick and simple to obtain the additional certification. Of course, excellent analytical and research skills are necessary, along with a willingness to work hard and think creatively. As with any profession, the more time you devote to education and field experience, the better positions and salary you will receive.

In order to become a paralegal, there are several requirements needed.  As a general rule, your paralegal salary will be proportionate to your level of education. The better your degree and the more time you’ve invested in your education, the more your salary will increase.

Certification is not mandatory. However, there are three general options for obtaining a paralegal degree. You can earn a traditional 4 year Bachelor’s degree, an Associate’s degree (2 years of study) in paralegal studies, or choose an online course for a certificate in paralegal studies, which will be a shorter duration. A few schools will offer Bachelor’s or Master’s in paralegal studies as well. Those with existing college degrees will be able to earn their paralegal certification faster than otherwise, often within just a few months. There are some law firms or lawyers who will offer the opportunity to train as a paralegal on the job.

Due to the nature of the work, the long hours and the need to be a creative multitasker, most attorneys seeking to hire a new paralegal will be looking for someone who is driven to succeed and able to put in the required time and effort to complete each task. Since new paralegals do not have previous experience to cite on their resumes, most law offices and attorneys will look to your education level to determine your qualifications. If an attorney can see that you have devoted intense time and effort towards your degree and gained certification, he or she will be more likely to choose you over other candidates. And landing a great first job will then allow you to accumulate the necessary experience to build your paralegal career.

All prospective paralegals should be sure that their paralegal certification meets the standards set forth by the various paralegal associations. Once these standards are met, you must usually take an exam or complete a certain amount of work hours in order to earn the certification.

After your studies, internship or certification is completed, you can begin applying for paralegal positions. There are a number of factors to consider when researching paralegal jobs. Many choose to work in the private or corporate sector, where salaries are generally higher. Still others may have an interest in social, financial or political issues, and so they may choose to work for an attorney or firm that handles cases specific to their interests.