How to become a paralegal is a top question for many people who are considering a career in the legal field.
Working as a paralegal is an exciting job opportunity through which you can make a real difference in criminal or civil cases. If this might be the job path for you, it’s beneficial to find out the qualifications to be a paralegal.
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The more you know about the steps to becoming a paralegal, the more prepared you’ll be for the education, training, and certification that potential employers may be expecting.
How to Become a Paralegal
While some people enter the paralegal profession without much formal preparation, education and planning could help you achieve more success in this career.
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Here are some common steps in the process of becoming a paralegal:
- Graduate from high school. To be a paralegal, it’s necessary to have at least a high school education. Also, a high school diploma or a GED certificate is usually an admissions requirement for paralegal colleges.
- Get a college education. Your state may not require formal training for working as a paralegal, but an official college program will certainly bolster your resume. Accredited college programs include certificate studies, associate degrees, and bachelor’s degrees in the field. If you’re coming to paralegal work from another field and already hold a bachelor’s degree, you could consider a legal studies master’s degree or certificate program.
- Gain experience in a law office. The sooner you can start working in a legal setting, the better. Professional experience is a requirement for many certification programs. Your paralegal training might help you get a job as a legal secretary, a legal assistant, or a paralegal.
- Take a certification exam. Once you meet all the requirements, you can pursue certification from a national organization. This usually requires passing an exam to demonstrate that you have a full understanding of the skills and knowledge that a paralegal must possess.
- Fulfill any state requirements. While most states don’t regulate paralegals, a few do. Others offer optional state-level certification programs. You can check out your state’s requirements and follow through with any necessary steps.
- Apply for jobs or promotions. After becoming a certified paralegal, there may be new job opportunities available to you. You might want to ask for a promotion in your current workplace or start applying for positions elsewhere.
- Develop your skills and specialties. This is a field where you can continue to learn new things and expand your abilities. You could choose to specialize in a certain type of law, such as criminal law, probate, family law, or taxation. To maintain your certifications, you may be required to get continuing education credits.
The more education you get, the further this career may take you!
3 Things You Can Do as a Paralegal
The legal field is exciting, and the education for paralegal jobs could help prepare you for various roles. Working as a paralegal might be your first choice, but it could be worth checking out a few other options as well.
1. Paralegal
Professionals who support lawyers in their work are often called paralegals. In that role, you might handle legal documents, speak with clients and witnesses, organize evidence, and arrange schedules.
Paralegals understand the law and know how to conduct legal research. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that most paralegals earn between $37,690 and $94,960.
2. Legal Secretary
As an administrative assistant in a legal setting, you would work closely with both attorneys and paralegals. The job responsibilities might include drafting legal documents, researching past cases, and managing office communications.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for legal secretaries and administrative assistants is $48,780.
3. Court Clerk
As a court clerk, you would handle the various documents, records, schedules, and people that move through a branch of the court system. A paralegal’s understanding of legal terms and procedures would be useful in this role.
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It’s common for court, municipal, and license clerks to earn between $30,310 and $63,640 each year. Both state and federal jobs are available.
Paralegal Careers & Salaries
Training to become a paralegal could give you a strong foundation in legal concepts and office practices. That preparation could be useful for working as a paralegal, of course, but it could also contribute to success in other lines of work.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, here are the median wages of careers related to the law and paralegal studies
| Careers | Annual Median Salaries |
| Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | $72,230 |
| Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | $65,980 |
| Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators | $64,030 |
| Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners | $63,560 |
| Legal Support Workers, All Other | $62,340 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $59,200 |
| Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers | $50,490 |
| Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | $48,780 |
| Court, Municipal, and License Clerks | $44,140 |
| Receptionists and Information Clerks | $33,960 |
While your paralegal training might be useful in any of these roles, some of them may require additional education or certifications. If you’re willing to commit to several years of schooling, you could also choose to go to law school and become a lawyer.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, legal careers are expected to grow at a 10% rate over the next ten years, which is faster than average.
How to Choose a Paralegal Program
Paralegal training programs are quite popular, so you’ll find them at many schools. Figuring out what you want your college experience to be like may help you select a program.
- ABA approval. You’ll get a high-quality paralegal education if you select a program that has earned the approval of the American Bar Association.
- Accreditation. In addition to the approval of the ABA, it’s beneficial to verify that your college holds regional accreditation from one of the seven regional accreditors in the US.
- Cost. The tuition fee can vary greatly from one school to the next. In-state enrollment might cost you less than out-of-state enrollment, and longer programs may be more expensive than shorter ones. It’s also strategic to explore your financial aid options.
- Program length and format. Paralegal training programs come in both certificate and degree forms, and you can complete them on a college campus or online. It’s helpful to consider how long you’re willing to commit to a school, how thorough you want your training to be, and what approach best fits your current life.
- Specializations. You may have a particular aspect of the law on which you’d like to focus your studies and your career. If so, you can look for a college that offers specializations in that subfield.
The goal isn’t to attend the very best college but to find the college that’s the best fit for you.
Accreditation
It’s beneficial to get your paralegal-required education from a regionally accredited college. That distinction is reserved for schools that have proven their ability to provide a solid education.
One of the top reasons to choose a regionally accredited paralegal program is that you may decide to go back to school someday. If so, your paralegal credits may transfer into a degree program so that you can graduate in less time and for less money.
ABA – Approved Paralegal Programs
You may also want to look for a program that has been approved by the American Bar Association. That way, you can feel confident that you’ve chosen a program that meets current industry standards.
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An ABA approved paralegal program may be useful for obtaining national certification or getting hired by a good law firm. Programs that meet ABA standards might also help you qualify for paralegal licensure in the few states that require it.
Paralegal Licensure and Certifications
While your state may not require paralegal certification, many employers prefer to hire certified paralegals. That’s because certification shows that you are a competent, prepared professional who is ready to handle a wide variety of responsibilities.
Popular certification programs include:
- American Alliance Certified Paralegal (ACCP) from the American Alliance of Paralegals (AAPI)
- Certified Paralegal (CP) from NALA—The Paralegal Association
- Professional Paralegal (PP) from the National Association for Legal Support Professionals (NALS)
- Registered Paralegal (RP) from the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA)
Most states do not regulate this profession, but some do set specific requirements for paralegals.
Is Financial Aid Available?
If you attend an accredited college, you might be able to get government financial aid. Your eligibility will depend on your income level and whether you’re meeting the minimum course load each semester.
Depending on your situation, you might qualify for federal grants or loans. Some states offer similar programs. Scholarships, whether from your school or another organization, may help pay for your classes too. It’s also possible that your employer may reimburse you for some of your tuition expenses.
As you look into attending college, it’s beneficial to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
What Is a Paralegal?
A paralegal is a support professional in a legal environment. People in this line of work handle tasks related to documentation, witnesses, and evidence. They also take care of responsibilities related to organization and administration.
Paralegals work under the supervision of a practicing lawyer. Because of their training, they are able to handle many of the legal responsibilities that would otherwise fall on a lawyer’s shoulders. A paralegal is similar to a legal assistant. Some people consider them to be the same thing, but others distinguish paralegals as having more legal responsibilities and fewer administrative ones.
What Does a Paralegal Do?
Paralegals often work with documents. For example, they might type up reports or contracts. Paralegals may be responsible for organizing legal documents and filing briefs as well.
People in this line of work can also help lawyers get ready for a case. Their jobs might entail talking to witnesses, organizing evidence, and making sure that everything is in order before the big day. Paralegals know how to conduct legal research. They might look into past rulings to find details that could inform a current case. They may do some scheduling or administrative work too.
Where Do Paralegals Work?
Being a paralegal is usually an office-based job. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the majority of paralegals work in law offices or other legal organizations. Some small law offices have only one paralegal, but large firms hire many paralegals.
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Other paralegals hold jobs with government agencies. Local, state, and federal departments depend on the work of qualified paralegals. People in this field can also be hired by banks, financial institutions, or corporations. They may handle tasks related to contracts and financial reports.
What Paralegal Skills Are Needed for the Role?
Paralegals handle many responsibilities and may be under a good deal of pressure at times. To succeed in this fast-paced field, it’s beneficial to be a person who’s suited for the job.
Valuable characteristics include:
- Ability to do in-depth research
- Desire to make decisions and solve problems
- Empathy and listening
- Good communication
- Organization and multitasking
- Strong reading skills
If you’re curious whether you have what it takes to be a great paralegal, you might consider talking with someone who’s currently working in that role.
How Much Does a Paralegal Make?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that most paralegals and legal assistants make at least $37,690 per year. The top 10% of earners make more than $94,960 annually.
Jobs with the federal government usually pay the most. The median income for paralegals in that job category is $72,300. High wages can also come from financial and insurance institutions. The median salary with those employers is around $73,050. The median wage for legal secretaries and administrative assistants is $48,780 per year, and the median for court reporters and simultaneous captioners is $63,560.
Court, municipal, and license clerks have a median salary of $44,140, and the median wage for title examiners, abstractors, and searchers is $50,490.
Do You Need a Degree to Be a Paralegal?
Education might be one of the top concerns on your mind when you’re wondering, “How do you become a paralegal?”
In most states, you are not required to get a college degree before you can work as a paralegal. Even still, pursuing an education can be strategic. Most employers prefer to hire paralegals who have some training in the field. College programs in paralegal studies are available in several different forms.
Many schools offer certificate programs. Some offer this field of study as an associate degree program, and a select few provide paralegal bachelor’s degrees.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Paralegal?
Many people need only a few years to enter the paralegal profession. Certificate programs often take 1 year or less to complete. You could probably finish an ABA approved certificate course and pass a certification exam within 2 years.
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To prepare more thoroughly for the job, you might consider getting an associate or bachelor’s degree. An associate degree might take about 2 years with full-time study, and a bachelor’s degree is typically a 4 year program. Online studies often allow students to shave several months off of the standard timeframe, though. After program completion, you may want a few months to study before taking a certification exam.
What’s the Difference Between a Paralegal vs. Lawyer?
Both paralegals and lawyers work in law offices and provide legal support for clients, but they play two very different roles.
| Paralegals | Lawyers |
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If you enjoy working in the legal field as a paralegal, you may decide to go back to school and pursue your law degree someday.
What’s the Difference Between a Legal Assistant vs. Paralegal?
Even though many people use the terms “paralegal” and “legal assistant” interchangeably, there are some differences between these two jobs.
| Legal Assistants | Paralegals |
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Both of these jobs are different from being a legal secretary or administrative assistant. Legal secretaries focus primarily on administrative and clerical tasks.
Getting Your Paralegal Degree Online
If you have your sights set on a career in the legal field, then you might be interested in becoming a paralegal. Paralegals are knowledgeable professionals who play an integral role in law offices.
As a paralegal, you could make a difference for lawyers, clients, and the various people with whom your firm interacts. You might have an easier time becoming established as a paralegal if you pursue formal training first. An online college program can help you fulfill the paralegal requirements of many law firms.
You could start your educational and professional journey today by choosing an accredited paralegal school that will help you learn the essential skills for this field.
