Paralegals and Legal Assistants

Overview

Paralegals and Legal Assistants has a national median salary of $62,890 per year, with -0.3% projected job growth from 2025–2035. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists an associate's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation.

Description

Assist lawyers by investigating facts, preparing legal documents, or researching legal precedent. Conduct research to support a legal proceeding, to formulate a defense, or to initiate legal action.

Work Values

• Relationships
• Support
• Working Conditions

Work Styles

Responsibilities

Tasks

• Prepare affidavits or other documents, such as legal correspondence, and organize and maintain documents in paper or electronic filing system.
• Prepare, edit, or review legal documents, including legislation, briefs, pleadings, appeals, wills, contracts, and real estate closing statements.
• Investigate facts and law of cases and search pertinent sources, such as public records and internet sources, to determine causes of action and to prepare cases.
• Prepare for trial by performing tasks such as organizing exhibits.
• Meet with clients and other professionals to discuss details of cases.

Work Activities

• Documenting/Recording Information
• Working with Computers
• Communicating with People Outside the Organization
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Getting Information
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Performing Administrative Activities
• Analyzing Data or Information
• Processing Information

Detailed Work Activities

• Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
• Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

T-A-S-K

Technology, Abilities, Skills & Knowledge

Education

Education Levels of Current Workers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists an associate's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation. The chart below shows the highest level of education held by people already working in this field, ages 25 and older. It includes workers who earned more education than the job requires and workers who entered the field under earlier requirements, so the largest bar is not the entry requirement. For example, if someone finished a bachelor's degree and then started working in this field, they are counted under “Bachelor's degree” here, but the job itself typically asks for an associate's degree.

Certificates

Certifications applicable to Paralegals and Legal Assistants:

Video Resources