8. Significant Points Employment is expected to growmuch faster than average, but competition is expected Best Opportunities Formally trained Experienced paralegals Education A.S. or A.A. in Paralegal studies B.S. or B.A. in another field & certificate in paralegal studies About 71 percent work for law firms
13. Possible Specialties Litigation Personal Injury Corporate Law Criminal Law Employee Benefits Intellectual Property Family Law Real Estate Immigration Bankruptcy Labor Law
15. Working Conditions Work in offices and law libraries Occasional travel may be required Generally work a standard 40-hour week Most paralegals work year round Some temporarily employed during peak times Overtime may be required
18. Employment Paralegals and legal assistants held about 263,800 jobs in 2008. Private law firms employed 71 % Remainder in corporate legal departments & government Federal Government DOJ is the largest employer Followed by the SSA and the DOT Small number of paralegals Own their own businesses Work as freelance legal assistants
20. Job Outlook Employment is expected to grow by 28%through 2018! Why? Population Growth Companies Reducing Costs (Paralegals cheaper than lawyers) Increase in Paralegal Responsibilities Growth in Pre-Paid Legal Plans Increase in the size of “In House” Legal Departments
21. How can I separate myself from other Candidates?
25. Professional Associations www.nala.org -The National Association of Legal Assistants isaprofessional association for legal assistants, providing continuing education and professional certification programs for paralegals. http://aapipara.org - American Alliance Certified Paralegal (AACP) credential, a voluntary certification program. www.paralegals.org - The National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) offers the Registered Paralegal (RP) designation to paralegals with a bachelor's degree and at least 2 years of experience who pass an exam.
26. Websites for Additional Information and Job Opportunities http://www.bls.gov/oco/ - U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook http://www.abanet.org/legalservices/paralegals - Standing Committee on Paralegals, American Bar Association http://www.nals.org/ - National Association of Legal Secretaries http://www.aafpe.org/ - American Association for Paralegal Education http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/ - This is a resource for locating and applying for job opportunities