The legal world isn’t something like what you see in Ally McBeal, Judge Judy or something newer like The Practice. Or maybe it is to some extent—with more crass people, more paperwork but less melodrama. Forget about snagging some gossip-mongering session with your colleagues and long coffee breaks—those were in fact privileges, according to this first-hand account of a paralegal. You’ll spend the day buried in piles of paperwork, editing thick documents and serving plaintiffs.
You should be running for the hills by now after reading this introduction, but being a paralegal isn’t the worst thing in the world; Forbes.com has all the data to prove otherwise. According to Forbes.com, the job of a paralegal or legal assistant is one of the top underrated jobs of all time in the United States, with a whopping average median salary of $47,000 and a very low unemployment rate (4.6 percent). It is also one of the careers pink-slipped employees have been transitioning into in recent years. Forbes.com also said that less stress is associated with the job since paralegals don’t deal with clients, face-to-face.
For those of you who have been eyeing the profession to call your own, you’re on the right track if you have a knack for analyzing documents, technical writing, legal research, legal terminologies, and picking up new skills. Here are more reasons for you to build a career as a paralegal:
1. Train in the comfort of your own home. Paralegal training is now available online. Programs usually take 12 months to complete, that is, if you study at least complete 18 hours of instruction a week. And right after passing your exam (usually with a required 70 percent passing score), you’ll receive your certification online, which you can readily download, print and present to potential employers.
2. No need for a degree. A college education can get you places but its lack thereof doesn’t mean there will be a dearth of opportunities for you. As long as you have a highschool diploma or have passed your GEDs, you are qualified to undergo paralegal training.
3. Brush up on skills needed for a legal career. Constantly coming across legal terminologies and working closely with attorneys, judges and other legal professionals will help you get better on the job, and even earn you skills you need for a promotion. These skills include research and citation skills, grammar and communications skills, transcribing, and auditing legal documents. The job obviously will make you well-versed in local and international laws as well.
4. Work hard for the money. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, paralegals earn a median average income of $46,680 a year. Paralegals earn an hourly rate of $22.44 as well. The average rate for paralegals is $50,220 a year. Now what’s going to make this data more interesting is if we take into account how much associate degree holders and non-degree holders make as a worker, as compared to those with Bachelor’s degrees. BLS data show that bachelor’s degree-holders earn $1,066 weekly, on average, while those with an associate’s degree make $785 and non-degree holders earn $727. Do the math and you’ll get around $32,000 worth of average annual salary, which still makes the salary of a paralegal by far higher than what is expected of non-degree holders.
5. It’s a stable career. There are 276,030 paralegals and legal assistants employed in the United States right now, according to the Census Bureau. Employment outlook is rosy for the profession and the BLS forecasted the profession growing by 18% in the next seven years.
Meditec offers paralegal training for students interested in building a career in law. Meditec’s paralegal program spans 980 hours worth of instruction and is designed by seasoned authorities in the field.
Do you have success stories to share as a paralegal? What do you think of this blog post? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
No comments:
Post a Comment