Read Our Paralegal Job Description

A paralegal job gives a lot of flexibility. The only legal services that paralegals can't perform are presenting cases in a court, giving legal advice, setting fees and accepting cases. That leaves a wide variety of legal duties that paralegals can perform.

In general, paralegals assist attorneys in preparing for closings, hearing, trials and corporate meetings in many ways:

• Researching legal documents
• Drafting contracts, mortgages, separation agreements and trust instruments
• Helping prepare legal arguments, draft pleadings and motions
• Investigating cases
• Locating witnesses
• Obtaining affidavits and organizing depositions
• Organizing and tracking case files
• Providing trial assistance

Depending on where your paralegal job is and what area of the law you specialize in, your job description can vary.  See Paralegal Practice Areas and Specialties for more information about the duties performed by paralegals and legal assistants working in specialty fields.

As demand for paralegals increases, trained paralegals will enjoy a broad selection of paralegal job opportunities and options for professional growth. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), paralegals hold jobs in one of the 30 fastest growing fields in the U.S. through 2018.

Paralegals and legal assistants held about 263,800 paralegal jobs in 2008. Private law firms employed almost three out of four paralegals; most of the remainder worked in government jobs and corporate legal departments.

Within the federal government, the U.S. Department of Justice is the largest employer, followed by the Social Security Administration and the U.S. Department of the Treasury. A small number work in freelance paralegal jobs, contracting services to attorneys or corporate legal departments.

Most paralegals spend their time at their computer or doing research in a legal library. In law firms, paralegals typically enjoy private offices and well-appointed surroundings. Government or corporate paralegals may work in a cubicle or shared office space.

If you want to get a paralegal job, the best avenue is to get a paralegal degree. Paralegal programs usually include courses that introduce students to law and legal research methods. Furthermore, you may study a specialized legal area, such as employment or real estate law. Private employers may prefer applicants with this type of training, since their firm may focus on a specialized field.

There are several options for study when pursuing a paralegal career. The most common are a paralegal associate's degree or certificate program offered through private and community colleges.

Associate's degree programs typically last two years when attended full time, and certificate programs can range from three to 24 months. A small number of schools also offer bachelor's and master's degrees in paralegal studies. An associate's degree will prepare you for an entry-level paralegal job.

And while some employers still train paralegals on the job, this practice has become less prevalent as the career has evolved and paralegals have taken on increased responsibilities.

Paralegal certification is voluntary, but certified paralegals may be viewed more favorably by employers, and get some of the better paralegal jobs. Certification is granted by three professional organizations:

• National Association of Legal Assistants – Grants the Certified Legal Assistant/Certified Paralegal (CLA/CP) designation.

• National Federation of Paralegal Associations – Grants the Registered Paralegal (RP) distinction.

• American Alliance of Paralegals – Administers the American Alliance Certification Program (AACP).

Each type of certification requires a different combination of education and paralegal job experience. CLA/CP and RP certifications require paralegals to pass a standardized exam. More information on specific certification requirements is included in our paralegal certification article.