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Top Reasons Why You Should Be Interested In Legal Assistant Certification

Finding a rewarding and well-paying career can be one of life’s most difficult journeys. When it comes to finding something that is law oriented, there are many different career paths available. While all the schooling required to become a lawyer may be a bit out of reach for some, there is the option of becoming a paralegal, which starts with getting a legal assistant certification. As a paralegal, you can work with lawyers and gain a lot of on the job experience, as well as make a pretty decent salary, which can fund your future education, should you wish to pursue becoming a lawyer.

Paralegal Job Market

According to the 2014-2015 job market report from the US government, paralegals are looking at a 17% increase in demand, which is higher than normal compared to other fields. The median annual income for paralegals is around $44,000 a year, or $22/hour. For more experienced paralegals, the highest salaries reach around $75,000 a year. In fact, even the lowest 10% of paralegals earned $29,000, which is still pretty decent compared to the short time it takes to become one.

Educational Requirements

Paralegals can specialize in one or more fields of law, boosting their potential for higher wages. This also means you can switch up and find an area of law that suits you best, without completely changing your career. The educational requirements for becoming a paralegal are fairly flexible and can be obtained in a number of ways.

  • You can go to a regular or community college and get an associate’s degree in paralegal studies.
  • You can take classes online to earn a certificate.
  • If you have a bachelors, masters, or associate degree, you may find some colleges offer intensive course to help you obtain certification.
  • Some jobs will hire you with or without some educational or previous work experience and train you on the job.

While getting certified is often not a specific requirement, it can greatly increase your chances of being hired. Each state and job may have different requirements for paralegals, so it is important to check with the legal board the state you live, or want to work in. There are different levels to being certified, and just obtaining a certificate from a program is not the same as being certified by passing the NFPA’s Paralegal CORE Competency Exam (PCCE) or Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE).


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