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Outlook: Employment of paralegals and legal assistants is expected to increase 22 percent over the 2006-16 decade, faster than the average for all occupations.
Pay: The 3,930 paralegals and legal assistants in the Seattle-Bellevue-Tacoma area earned a median wage of $49,240 in 2008.
The job: Paralegals -- also called legal assistants -- help lawyers prepare for closings, hearings, trials and corporate meetings. Paralegals might investigate the facts of cases and ensure that all relevant information is considered. They also identify appropriate laws, judicial decisions, legal articles and other materials that are relevant to assigned cases. But they are explicitly prohibited from carrying out duties considered to be the practice of law, like setting legal fees or giving legal advice.
Training/licensing: The most common way to become a paralegal is through a community college paralegal program that leads to an associate degree. Another common method of entry, mainly for those who already have a college degree, is earning a certificate in paralegal studies.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
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Read more: Jobs in Demand
By David Ritter on August 24, 2009 7:56 AM
I thought that many law firms were outsourcing these jobs to India and other lower wage countries. That is why I decidied to take CDL training (a huge carear mistake)and started driving longhaul.
After reading this article I may reconsider going back to school for some retooling.
By CaseyL on August 25, 2009 11:03 AM
The State of Washington lists "paralegals" as a declining profession. I am a paralegal, and that "declining" status is why I'm now training in medical assisting.
By Scott on August 25, 2009 12:41 PM
CaseyL,
Where specifically are you getting your information? Can you provide an actual source agency and website link? I'm an attorney who teaches paralegals and my experience echoes this article, that paralegals are more in demand than many other professions. Thanks.
By sss on August 25, 2009 4:20 PM
A few months ago, Paralegal need across WA State was listed "Not In Demand" across the board. Recently, there are a few counties that list "In Demand" but for the most part it is still "Not In Demand" or "Balanced" at best:
http://www.wilma.org/wdclists/wdadetails.asp?area=000000&areaname=Washington State&qualify=Demand&soccode=232011&soctitle=Paralegals and Legal Assistants
Qualification: SOC Area:
Balanced Olympic Consortium Workforce Development Area
Demand Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Area
Demand Northwest Workforce Development Area
Not in Demand Snohomish County Workforce Development Area
Not in Demand Seattle King County Workforce Development Area
Demand Pierce County Workforce Development Area
Not in Demand Southwest Washington Workforce Development Area
Not in Demand Benton Franklin Workforce Development Area
Balanced Spokane Workforce Development Area
Balanced South Central WDA - Kittitas
Balanced South Central WDA - Klickitat
Balanced South Central WDA - Skamania
Balanced South Central WDA - Yakima
Not in Demand Eastern Washington WDA - SFPOL
Not in Demand Eastern Washington WDA - AGW
Not in Demand Eastern Washington WDA - WWC
By Lyssa on August 26, 2009 2:51 PM
I'm in a paralegal program currently via the worker retraining program. The information coming in from the Unemployment and WorkSource offices is often misleading because they don't always use the term "paralegal" to catagorize what we do in the field. If you are considering going into the program for "retooling" as David said, talk to your school's career action center and the head of the paralegal program. Both can help you navigate the confusing world of Unemployment questionaires relating to this program. Been there, done that...graduate in December.
By Kathy on October 25, 2009 3:14 PM
Scott, or anyone else,
Can you speak to how important it is to go to an ABA approved program like the ones at Highline CC versus the UW Paralegal Certificate program developed through their law school? How important of a criteria is it to employers?
Kathy