The majority of paralegal jobs are found in private law firms.
Others are found in the government non-governmental organizations and corporate bodies.
Major government employers include the US Department of State and the US Department of the Treasury. Corporate bodies are also increasingly hiring paralegals to work in their legal departments.
It is projected that paralegal jobs will have more than an average growth rate at over 20% per annum.
The main reason for this exponential growth rate arises for the need for law firms and other organizations to become more efficient and cost-effective.
Another reason for the growth rate is the increasing need to for lawyers to have assistants that has resulted from the increasing work complexity and technological advances. The population is also becoming more aware and has increased the demand for legal services.
Paralegal Jobs – What Exactly Does A Paralegal Do?
A paralegal will perform an array of tasks. The paralegal job description will depend on the specific firm, work setting, type of clients or their specialization.
However, the duties should not vary too greatly. A paralegal in a small firm is more likely to deal with a wider range of tasks than a paralegal in a large firm who will quite often work in a particular area.
There are a number of specializations which include litigation, real estate, labor law, environmental law, criminal law, entertainment, family law, probate, trusts, insurance, banking, elder law and personal injury.
The US Bureau of Statistics projects that the highest growth rate will be the sectors of criminal law, environmental law, international law and intellectual property.
The Starting Salary For Various Paralegal Jobs
Besides having excellent paralegal job prospects, salaries in this particular legal sector are not too shabby.
The average starting salary for a paralegal is at about $50,000 a year.
The salary will of course increase in direct proportion to the number of years of experience.
A paralegal manager should expect to earn over $100,000 a year.
The highest paying paralegal jobs are the ones in the private law firms which are the biggest employers and account for over 70% of the jobs.
The specific industries with the highest paralegal salaries are entertainment (specifically the movie industry), internet service providers, publishing and telecommunications.
The salaries for paralegal jobs will also depend on the location with some areas having higher salaries than others.
The highest paying state is Washington D.C with salaries averaging over $65,000 a year.
Other high paying states for paralegal jobs include California, New York, New Jersey and Illinois.