Paralegal and Legal Assistant Degrees and Programs

Paralegals and legal assistants are an indispensable part of the legal system. They assist solicitors with a range of tasks, some challenging, some routine and yet others that are simple in nature. Bottom line, they take a significant workload off the shoulders of lawyers. Responsibilities include, among others, meeting clients, taking notes, answering and returning calls, research, preparing documents and cases and providing basic legal advice. They require strong interpersonal skills, communication skills and adequate computer skills to document case files, keep records and conduct legal research.

Employers are also turning more and more to paralegals to minimize their legal costs. Several of the basic tasks that were conventionally done by advocates are now assigned to paralegals whose services are cheaper and therefore, cut the costs of companies considerably. This is especially relevant for non-profit organizations that need to closely watch their budgets.

Some companies train individuals as paralegals. However, most don’t. Fortunately, for those who are interested in this field, there are Associate and Bachelor degree programs available to equip themselves with the skills expected of paralegal and legal assistants. Specializations in real estate, criminal justice and social services can be chosen.

Career outlook is bright for this discipline with growth in employment opportunities projected at 22% through 2016 much faster than average of all occupations. As legal services become more specialized and more employers require legal services, the demand for paralegals and legal assistants is expected to get a boost. Median annual earnings were at $43,040 [including bonuses] in May 2006 with the middle 50 percent earning between $33,920 and $54,690. The top 10 percent earned more than $67,540.

Top institutions offering programs in this discipline are ITT Technical Institute and American InterContinental University followed by Walden and Kaplan Universities with flexible and quality education. Westwood College offers career-focused and hands-on programs to students that translate their dreams to reality.