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Paralegals and Legal Assistants
Assist lawyers by investigating facts, preparing legal documents, or researching legal precedent. Conduct research to support a legal proceeding, to formulate a defense, or to initiate legal action.
Other titles employers use
Immigration Paralegal · Law Associate · Legal Analyst · Legal Assistant · Legal Clerk · Legal Processing Assistant · Litigation Paralegal · Paralegal
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Prepare affidavits or other documents, such as legal correspondence, and organize and maintain documents in paper or electronic filing system.
- Prepare, edit, or review legal documents, including legislation, briefs, pleadings, appeals, wills, contracts, and real estate closing statements.
- Investigate facts and law of cases and search pertinent sources, such as public records and internet sources, to determine causes of action and to prepare cases.
- Prepare for trial by performing tasks such as organizing exhibits.
- Meet with clients and other professionals to discuss details of cases.
- Gather and analyze research data, such as statutes, decisions, and legal articles, codes, and documents.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to organizing, analytical and persuading work.
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
- Persuading
- Leading, selling, starting projects, or making a case
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Writing
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
Subjects to know
- Law and Government
- English Language
- Administrative
- Computers and Electronics
- Customer and Personal Service
Useful strengths
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Written Expression
- Near Vision
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 2.8 | Largely your own space |
| On your feet | 1.7 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.7 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 2.9 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for an associate degree. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A four-year degree 37%
- A two-year degree 20%
- High school or less 19%
- A doctorate or professional degree 10%
- A master's degree 9%
- A certificate or some college 5%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Document management software
- Word processing software
- Office suite software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Electronic mail software
- Accounting software
- Spreadsheet software
- Presentation software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 44,100
- Job openings each year
- 4,690
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 12.2%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 44,100 | 4,690 | 12.2% |
| Florida | 41,460 | 4,430 | 13.5% |
| New York | 35,830 | 240 | 7.2% |
| Texas | 29,470 | 3,210 | 19.2% |
| Illinois | 14,210 | 1,470 | 4.4% |
| North Carolina | 13,590 | 1,420 | 7.8% |
| Georgia | 13,220 | 1,380 | 8.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 11,530 | 1,190 | 4.8% |
| Virginia | 10,620 | 1,070 | — |
| New Jersey | 9,880 | 1,000 | 1.1% |
| Washington | 8,690 | 1,000 | 10.3% |
| Ohio | 8,290 | 830 | −1.9% |
| Colorado | 7,850 | 850 | 18.8% |
| Michigan | 7,570 | 770 | 1.7% |
| Maryland | 7,410 | 770 | 6.9% |
| Arizona | 7,180 | 770 | 13.4% |
| South Carolina | 7,080 | 750 | 10.1% |
| Indiana | 6,800 | 720 | 8.8% |
| Missouri | 6,310 | 650 | 5.3% |
| District of Columbia | 6,140 | 630 | 3.2% |
| Minnesota | 6,070 | 620 | 3.6% |
| Tennessee | 6,070 | 650 | 14.5% |
| Louisiana | 5,950 | 610 | 4.9% |
| Oregon | 5,250 | 540 | 1.7% |
| Connecticut | 5,100 | 510 | −2.9% |
| Wisconsin | 4,870 | 490 | −1.0% |
| Utah | 4,650 | 500 | 13.1% |
| Alabama | 4,210 | 440 | 5.5% |
| Nevada | 3,630 | 380 | 10.7% |
| Oklahoma | 3,100 | 320 | 6.5% |
| Kentucky | 3,000 | 310 | 3.8% |
| Kansas | 2,760 | 280 | 3.8% |
| Massachusetts | 2,680 | 270 | 3.1% |
| West Virginia | 2,400 | 250 | 9.1% |
| Iowa | 2,380 | 250 | 7.7% |
| Arkansas | 2,340 | 240 | 5.4% |
| Mississippi | 2,190 | 230 | 6.8% |
| New Mexico | 1,980 | 210 | 10.0% |
| Nebraska | 1,890 | 200 | 5.6% |
| Delaware | 1,740 | 170 | −2.2% |
| Idaho | 1,670 | 180 | 11.3% |
| Montana | 1,560 | 170 | 14.7% |
| New Hampshire | 1,430 | 150 | 6.7% |
| Rhode Island | 1,390 | 140 | 5.3% |
| Maine | 980 | 100 | 2.1% |
| Puerto Rico | 830 | 90 | 9.2% |
| Vermont | 720 | 80 | 7.5% |
| North Dakota | 670 | 70 | 6.3% |
| South Dakota | 570 | 60 | 9.6% |
| Alaska | 550 | 50 | −3.5% |
| Wyoming | 460 | 50 | 12.2% |
| Guam | 110 | 10 | 10.0% |
| Virgin Islands | 80 | 10 | −11.1% |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
University of Central Florida
- Degrees each year
- 257
- Admit rate
- 40%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
Liberty University
- Degrees each year
- 235
- Admit rate
- 99%
- Annual cost after aid
- $27,000
University of California-Berkeley
- Degrees each year
- 234
- Admit rate
- 12%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
- Degrees each year
- 150
- Admit rate
- 57%
- Annual cost after aid
- $7,000
University of California-Santa Cruz
- Degrees each year
- 126
- Admit rate
- 63%
- Annual cost after aid
- $14,000
University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Degrees each year
- 126
- Admit rate
- 43%
- Annual cost after aid
- $8,000
University of Maryland Global Campus
- Degrees each year
- 119
- Admit rate
- Not reported
- Annual cost after aid
- —
Michigan State University
- Degrees each year
- 114
- Admit rate
- 84%
- Annual cost after aid
- $17,000
Compare every college offering non-professional legal studies