A paralegal does the administration work for a lawyer, working under the lawyer’s direct supervision. Everything from criminal to corporate to family law – you can find paralegals. They are hard at work to make sure the multiple and time-consuming tasks of a lawyer are handled well.
Both private and public colleges offer courses to become a paralegal. There are also opportunities to pursue more advanced degrees to become a paralegal such as a bachelor’s or master’s degree that would help you earn more money with your starting salary.
Statistics in the United States report that the average annual salary for a paralegal is above $45,000 USD as recent as May of 2006. Many paralegals that work for governments in North America can earn about $53,000 a year. State and local governments pay about $34,000 USD. The big money is in the corporate world where a paralegal can make over $100,000 USD.
The profession of a paralegal is a growing and thriving field.
Many paralegals do become certified through such organizations as the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) and the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) in the United States. The Canadian Association of Paralegals is just one of the ways to become certified too.
Other related fields and useful searches include:
• Community college
• Contract attorney
• Lawyers
You can find all the information that you need at www.edulocator.com.
