Paralegals Job Description, Duties & Salary

Outlook

Employment for paralegals is expected to grow 12 percent through 2028, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, which is much faster than the average for all careers. One reason for the continued demand in the profession is the financial benefit of employing paralegals. The paralegal, whose duties fall between those of the legal secretary and those of the attorney, helps make the delivery of legal services more cost effective to clients. The growing need for legal services among the general population and the increasing popularity of prepaid legal plans is creating a tremendous demand for paralegals in private law firms. In the private sector, paralegals can work in banks, insurance companies, real estate and title insurance firms, and corporate legal departments. In the public sector, there is a growing need for paralegals in the courts, community legal service programs, government agencies, and consumer organizations.

The growth of this occupation, to some extent, is dependent on the economy. Businesses are less likely to pursue litigation cases when profit margins are down, thus curbing the need for new hires.

Job opportunities will be best for paralegals with formal education, strong computer and database management skills, and experience and specialization in high-demand practice areas such as health care, general business/commercial, litigation, labor and employment, intellectual property, and bankruptcy/foreclosure law.

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