Legal Assistant or Paralegal: Career Choice

What is a Paralegal?
Sometimes paralegals are referred to as legal assistants, lawyer's assistants, or investigators. Each of these terms describes dependable, skilled professionals who serve in a variety of capacities in the legal community. Paralegals have been officially recognized by the American Bar Association since 1968.

Paralegals provide valuable services while working under the supervision of lawyers. Responsibilities vary greatly depending upon the employer and position. Paralegals are often responsible for conducting research, drafting legal documents, working with clients, and assisting in trial preparation.

How do I know if this is the right career for me?
Becoming a paralegal is a great choice for your future if you are seeking a more fulfilling profession or you want to improve your current lifestyle. Paralegal training can provide the edge you need to stand out and step up in your current career.

Are there job opportunities out there? And what about job security?
There is a steadily increasing need for paralegals in the private sector as well as in various government offices. Even when other elements of the economy slow down, the need for paralegals will continue to grow. This is because paralegals can provide many of the same services as lawyers, but at a lesser cost.

In recent years, the number of new jobs in the national paralegal market has outpaced the growth rate for most other jobs. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates employment for paralegals will grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2014.

Paralegals are in demand at private law firms, large corporations, insurance companies, and government agencies. Some paralegals choose to work in community legal aid offices, helping to bring legal services to those who wouldn't normally have access to such help.

Experienced paralegals may enjoy even greater opportunities such as supervising other staff, filling management positions, or even going into business for themselves.

What kind of salary can I expect?
According to the National Association of Legal Assistants, paralegals had an average salary of $38,000 in 2000. Many also received a bonus, which averaged $2,400.

According to the 2006-07 Occupational Outlook Handbook, top paralegal pay was over $61,390 in 2004, while the middle 50 percent of paralegals earned between $31,040 and $49,950.

Where will I work and what will I be doing?
Paralegals fill an assortment of positions in almost every locale in law firms and a multitude of other entities. Often, paralegals choose positions based on unique interests and skills, previous work experience, or future goals for specialization and advancement.

When you receive your diploma, you may choose to work in a corporate legal department handling employee benefits and contracts, or performing necessary regulatory research and analysis. Or, you may work for a small law firm and use your knowledge of all aspects of law, or a large law firm where you will specialize in criminal law or real estate law.

No matter what your interests, the paralegal field- with its unlimited
variety of employers, specialties, and positions- likely holds the
perfect opportunity for you and your dreams for the future.

Organizations that employ paralegals include:

• Banks; Savings and Loans
• Construction Companies
• Corporate Legal Departments
• Court Reporting Agencies
• Federal and State Banking Agencies
• Insurance Companies
• Internal Revenue Service
• Law Firms
• Law Schools
• Legal Aid Societies
• Municipal, Trial, and Appellate Courts
• Private Investigators
• Sheriff's Department
• Title Companies
• Unions

Paralegals also work for federal, state, and local government, where there is an increasing need for additional paralegals. Large numbers of paralegals work for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Treasury, and the U.S. Department of Defense.

Additionally, community legal aid offices of federal and state government employ paralegals as:

• Benefits Representatives
• Bankruptcy Law Specialists
• Case Advocates and Specialists
• Community Education Specialists
• Consumer Law Specialists
• Domestic Relations Specialists
• Employment Law Specialists
• Health Law Specialists
• Housing/Tenant Law Specialists
• Immigration Law Specialists
• Information and Referral Specialists
• Legal Research Specialists
• Legislative Advocates
• Public Entitlement Specialists
• Senior Citizens Specialists
• Social Security Specialists
• Tribal Court Representatives
• Wills Procedures Specialists

Can I enroll in the Blackstone course without prior legal training?
Yes! If you are a motivated self-starter, you will find the course to be well-paced and easy to understand. You will learn to crawl before you have to walk. Then before you know it, you will be running towards your new and exciting career.

What will I receive when I enroll in the Blackstone course?
You will receive the materials, training, and support that you need to become an entry-level paralegal. Materials include:

• eleven volumes of study books
• a law dictionary
• a text to study legal research
• study guides for legal research
• a text on finding a job as a paralegal and improving your employability skills
• 31 exams to assess your knowledge
• an official transcript and diploma at course completion

Experts in the field of paralegal studies have prepared these materials. All materials have been time-tested and proven to provide students with the knowledge necessary to succeed. While comprehensive, the materials are also easy to understand because they are written in clear English. A detailed list of the items above can be viewed in the Course Materials section.

The Blackstone program also provides the required clock hours needed to sit
for the Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) examination administered by the
National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA).