What is a paralegal and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Expert
Emily Allen-Hornblower
introduction image

A paralegal assists lawyers with various tasks such as research, drafting legal documents, and organizing case files. They play a crucial role in the legal system and help lawyers to provide quality services to clients. Paralegals may work in law firms, corporations, government agencies, or non-profit organizations. They must have strong analytical skills and attention to detail although they do not provide legal advice or represent clients in court.

What general advice would you give to a Paralegal?

Emily Allen-HornblowerEmily Allen-Hornblower LinkedIn Profile

Associate Professor of Classics, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

"I would say, think broadly. Your CV gives you an edge - you chose a course of study that is somewhat atypical, original (and a great conversation starter!) that gave you widely applicable skills.

I mean, who studies Classics? Who willingly subjects themselves to the rigors of Latin or Greek - or both? Who commits to navigating the intricacies of an interdisciplinary path that combines some of the most vital areas of inquiry for our time: social and cultural history, political science, philosophy, psychology, literary studies, material culture?

A go-getter. Someone who is passionate. And is Driven.

And you know what? Employers know that. They see that on your CV, and they think, wow - here is someone interesting and hard-working and who thinks out of the box. And they are right. Xerox saw that. Macy's saw that. The Air Force Intelligence Officer who hired one of our (female!) undergraduates as an officer saw that. The software engineer who hired another one of our grads to join his team as a full-time software engineer saw that. Oxford University Press in New York City saw that - and hired another recent grad as a full-time intern in their Higher Education Editorial Development department. SO: Classics majors, think big and broad. There is no restricted path for what is next.

So - Graduating seniors in Classics (and other Liberal Arts degrees), as you prepare to go forward into the world, you have good reason to go forth with pride, and enter the world after college, with all its question marks and inevitable bumps in the road, with confidence.
A Classics major is excellent preparation for the pursuit of a wide range of careers in a large number of fields, including, but not limited to, government, law, education, business, journalism, library science, publishing, foreign service, finance, the entertainment industry, museum, and preservation work, pharmaceutical sciences, music, and the arts, foundations, technology, web design, and labor relations. So think broadly. You've got this. "
ScoreParalegalUS Average
Salary
3.9

Avg. Salary $49,943

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
7.0

Growth Rate 14%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.6
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.41%

Asian 5.74%

Black or African American 9.24%

Hispanic or Latino 20.15%

Unknown 4.83%

White 59.64%

Gender

female 77.63%

male 22.37%

Age - 47
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47
Stress Level
7.0

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
6.5

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
6.3

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Paralegal?

Pros

  • Chance to work on high-profile cases

  • Opportunity for career advancement

  • Exposure to different areas of law

  • Opportunities to work with prestigious law firms and attorneys

  • Increased job security due to the growing demand for paralegals

Cons

  • Repetitive and tedious tasks such as document review and filing

  • High level of responsibility without the ability to practice law

  • May require working outside of regular business hours or on weekends

  • Limited upward mobility for those without a law degree

  • May require working in a confrontational or emotionally charged environment

Paralegal career paths

Key steps to become a paralegal

  1. Explore paralegal education requirements

    Most common paralegal degrees

    Bachelor's

    50.7 %

    Associate

    28.8 %

    Certificate

    6.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific paralegal skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Litigation15.11%
    Legal Research11.82%
    Law Firm8.73%
    Discovery Responses8.70%
    Subpoenas5.41%
  3. Complete relevant paralegal training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New paralegals learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a paralegal based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real paralegal resumes.
  4. Gain additional paralegal certifications

    Paralegal certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific paralegal certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for paralegals include Certified Paralegal (CP) and Advanced Paralegal Certification (APC).

    More About Certifications
  5. Research paralegal duties and responsibilities

    • Manage client expenses and prepare billing and financial statements using PClaw and reconcile attorney's escrow and general accounts using QuickBooks.
    • Manage discovery process of lawsuits by preparing pleadings and subpoenas for records and answering requests for production and interrogatories.
    • Manage large volume of documents, enabling attorneys to easily identify key documents that are critical for mediation and arbitration.
    • Prepare H-1B petition with supporting evidence and supplementary forms for attorney review and filing with USCIS.
  6. Prepare your paralegal resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your paralegal resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a paralegal resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Paralegal Resume templates

    Build a professional Paralegal resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Paralegal resume.
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  7. Apply for paralegal jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a paralegal job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Paralegal Job

T

Taylor BazileTaylor Bazile LinkedIn Profile

Paralegal, Loyola University New Orleans Professional And Continuing Studies

I am a paralegal in training and will be finished this September 15th 2024. My knack and passion for civil rights and history led to my ambition to become an attorney, becoming a paralegal will lay the foundation for my juris doctoral pursuits. I aspire to be a civil rights activist and a social justice advocate, organizing community outreach programs for the youth, and a social work agency for community and civic engagement. I am a social entrepreneur, with a new Children’s coloring book, “The Hair Alphabet with Lady T” exclusively on Amazon.com.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CZJW6788

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CZMSV7MB



Legal counsel is imperative as many underserved communities and minorities are being swept into the criminal justice system without just due process. The penal system values the rich and guilty rather than the poor and innocent. It is my duty to my African American community and other marginalized communities to mitigate the effects of black genocide and trauma after 400+ years of oppression. Guiding people to efficacious legal counsel is my birthright. I want to be greater among the greats of the world, Mahatma Ghandi, Shirley Chisholm, Martin Luther King Jr., Cesar Chavez, Nelson Mandela, and so many others.

A paralegal assists an attorney which is crucial because leaders in many helping professions, such as law, mental health, medicine, education suffer from burnout. As a paralegal, I want to stress the importance of providing services that are immaculate and gives attorneys relief and ease as they navigate case-by-case accounts in their respective disciplines, whether torts, pro-bono, family law, mediation, real estate, employment discrimination, labor law, personal injury, etc.

Gaining knowledge about the legal profession and assisting real-life/world attorneys will give me an edge over the competition and make me more marketable to law firms and legal associations in need of my paralegal expertise. Becoming an attorney is my ultimate goal and being a paralegal will one day lead me to excelling in law school and beyond hoping to own my own law clinic and/or firm.

Average paralegal salary

The average Paralegal salary in the United States is $49,943 per year or $24 per hour. Paralegal salaries range between $35,000 and $70,000 per year.

Average Paralegal Salary
$49,943 Yearly
$24.01 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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How do paralegals rate their job?

5/5

Based On 2 Ratings

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Paralegal reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2022
Pros

The interesting cases, typing briefs and long, detailed reports.

Cons

The attorneys


profile
5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2022
Pros

Working with good people & good clients trying to help them

Cons

Like to work in good atmosphere


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A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2021
Pros

Learning and understanding how the Corporate world operates. I also like the stability of the work on a day to day basis.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.