Attorneys might take responsibility for the legal work done in their offices, but as the saying goes, “Behind every good attorney is a good paralegal.” People joining the legal team as a paralegal have either transitioned from another career after earning a bachelor’s degree in another area of study and then getting a certificate through a paralegal school, or they have earned a two-year associate degree at one of the paralegal schools in the country.

Paralegals are the Heart of the Law Office
There are over 1 million licensed attorneys in the United States and most of them rely on at least one paralegal to help them prepare for their meetings, closings, hearings and trials. Paralegals are specifically prohibited by law to give legal advice, set fees or perform the actual duties of an attorney, but when an attorney is giving a smart opening or closing, it is most often based on at least the research and legwork done by the paralegal in their office. Paralegals are also the “office managers” of the firm, supervising legal secretaries, organizing documents and files for the attorneys, as well as sometimes preparing separation or divorce papers, as well as tax returns and planning estates and setting up trust funds. Paralegals are a very important part of the law office and always very busy. Before deciding if paralegal school is right for you, one must decide if they have the interest in the law, organizational, managerial and business skills necessary to work in a busy law office.

Working in a law firm isn’t the only option for someone who has just graduated from one of the many paralegal schools; paralegals also work in government offices, as well as in corporate legal departments. There are many ways in which to become a paralegal. Some attorneys train their own, but the most common way, and the best way to maximize the chances for a higher paying job is to attend paralegal school through a community college program, or certificate program for those who already hold a college degree. A few paralegal schools offer a bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in paralegal studies.

Typically, students attending paralegal school will study the fundamentals of legal terminology, research, legal writing, preparing legal documents and contracts, ethics, planning estates and trust funds, real estate, family, bankruptcy, corporate, civil and criminal law and torts.

Assisting Your Law Career at Paralegal School
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the outlook for paralegal jobs is good, but the competition in the coming years will be stiff. The agency says the best way to get into the field is to gain a certificate or degree from a paralegal school. There were 238,000 paralegals in the U.S. in 2006 and that number is expected to grow by 22 percent in the next decade, which is much faster than average for other professions.

About 70 percent of paralegals work for law firms, the federal government or corporations employ the majority of the rest. Paralegals are paid well for their expertise and long hours, averaging between $34,000 and $54,000 at a law firm, or over $56,000 employed with the federal government. The salary in law firm typically depends on the size of the firm, as well as the location.

You can be the “brains” behind courtroom arguments, too – find a paralegal school near you and enroll today!