Paralegal Schools And Jobs

About Paralegals And Legal Assistants

Paralegals, also known as legal assistants, help lawyers in doing legal research, drafting contracts and other legal documents, identifying relevant articles and cases, preparing for real estate closings and assisting in many other details of the legal process. The role of the paralegal continues to grow in law offices and corporate law departments. By reducing the workload performed by the lawyers of a firm or company, operations can be made more efficient.

There are more than 200,000 paralegals employed in the U.S, 70% of whom work in private legal firms. Those who do not work in law firms tend to be employed in corporations or in the government. Job growth is expected to be favorable relative to other professions over the coming years as companies look to minimize their legal expenses.

Paralegal Schools

Paralegal training is often obtained from local career and junior colleges. Typically, paralegal graduates obtain a two year associate's degree. However, some students with bachelor's degrees in other areas may pursue a shorter certificate program. There are still some paralegals that come through the ranks of the law firm, learning as they go. Certification is not required but may be attractive to some employers. For example, The National Association of Legal Assistants administers an examination that leads to the Certified Legal Assistant title for successful candidates who have gained accredited educational credentials and who have sufficient real-world experience.

Schools for Paralegals And Legal Assistants are listed in the column to the left.

The Top Cities tab shows employment statistics for Paralegals And Legal Assistants by major metro area.

The Top Industries tab shows which industries have the most jobs for Paralegals And Legal Assistants, along with salary data by industry.

The Find Schools tab lets you search for schools by field of study, degree level, and location.