Paralegal Studies
Associate Degree
Paralegal Careers
Career Outlook
Paralegal careers are growing by leaps and bounds as law firms try to reduce costs by hiring paralegals to perform tasks formerly carried out by lawyers. And it's the ideal time to prepare for a paralegal career; according to the U.S. Department of Labor, the field is expected to grow by 28% through 2018. Paralegal careers are extremely satisfying and pay well. Median annual salary is $46,680.
Career Opportunities
Paralegals often specialize in one or more area of law. Specialty areas that offer many paralegal career opportunities include real estate, tax, labor, probate, bankruptcy, intellectual property, family, environmental, immigration and corporate law. Many paralegal careers are found in...
- Law firms
- Corporate legal departments
- Government offices
- Non-profit organizations
Here is a breakdown of median wages in the industries employing the most paralegals:
- Federal executive branch $58,540
- Management $55,910
- Insurance carriers $52,200
- Employment services $50,050
- Legal services $44,480
What you might do in a paralegal career...
- Prepare for closings, hearings, trials and corporate meetings.
- Investigate the facts of cases
- Identify appropriate laws, judicial decisions and legal articles pertaining
to assigned cases - Assist attorneys during trials
- Help prepare the legal arguments, draft pleadings and motions to be filed
with the court - Organize and track case document files
- Draft contracts, mortgages, and separation agreements
- Maintain financial records associated with cases or the firm itself
Ready to get started on your Paralegal Studies degree? Enroll online or call 1-800-957-5412 to speak with an Admissions Advisor.
