When people think about careers in law they think about lawyers. You see them on television, either on the live court shows with those dramatic cases or on night time dramas where they solve the cases themselves. For real everyday lawyers, they have paralegals that do their research for them, finding case law and preparing the documents they need. As a paralegal you will also interview witnesses and clients and provide support for attorneys in a myriad of other ways on a daily basis.
Salaries are on the Rise
In January of 2016, the national average salary for a paralegal was $17.39 an hour, or $44,579 per year. Since we do live in a litigious society, there is a continued upswing in the number of clients and lawsuits and you can earn bonuses and overtime over and above your salary. You will work hard, but it is very rewarding. Paralegal assistant training programs may be just what you need to jump start your life.
There is Always Room to Grow and the Demand is there
Once you are trained as a paralegal you have many exciting, interesting places you can work. You could work for governmental municipalities or agencies, corporate legal departments, private law firms or real estate agencies. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that the demand for paralegals will outpace the need for attorneys well before 2020. On top of that, a good paralegal can increase a firm’s profits just by freeing up an attorney’s time. If you are answering clients’ questions over the phone, the attorney you work for can focus on more important things.
You really are Invaluable
Never think that you are nothing more than an assistant. You are the one who makes sure that the T’s are crossed and the I’s are dotted. You will be a valuable asset, not just to the attorneys, but to other support staff as well. A career as a paralegal can be rewarding and exciting.
