Top 5 Benefits to Legal Assistant Careers
Students and career changers, who are exploring future options, should consider the top five benefits to legal assistant careers. Legal assistants, also known as paralegals, and legal secretaries work for attorneys, assisting them with a variety of tasks such as performing research, preparing legal documents, and analyzing information.
These careers can provide monetary compensation and advancement opportunities, as well as less intangible benefits, such as respect, the ability to make a difference, and a high level of practical, legal knowledge.
Respect
Legal secretaries have a high level of responsibility, and perform key tasks that are often vital to attorney’s work. From drafting documents to preforming critical research to assisting attorneys prepare for events like trials, legal secretaries are considered an indispensible part of the legal process.
Because of the significance of the work they perform, both attorneys and the general public often respect paralegals. Even the national and many state bar associations recognize the importance and qualifications of legal secretaries. Professionals also have the option join nationwide professional membership organizations that recognize their contribution to the legal field.
Salary
Legal secretaries don’t earn as much as attorneys, but you can earn a salary that exceeds the average per capita annual income by several thousand dollars. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics (BLS), the median salary for paralegals and legal assistants in May 2010 was $46,680.
The middle 50 percent of these professionals earned between $36,230 and $59,910. If you live in certain states, such as California, New York, or New Jersey, you can expect higher compensation levels.
Legal Knowledge
Through a combination of educational training and the on-the-job experience, legal assistants have the opportunity to become well versed in the legal process. This knowledge can assist in professional development, and help individuals understand and solve personal legal matters, without having to hire an attorney.
Legal secretaries have the opportunity to take professional development courses and pursue further legal training that can provide additional professional opportunities.
Growth Opportunities
The BLS predicted that from 2008 to 2018, employment for paralegals would grow by 28 percent. One of the major factors contributing to this accelerated growth is that many businesses are trying to reduce costs by hiring paralegals instead of lawyers, and hiring in-house legal teams that include legal assistants.
Competition for jobs is still fierce, because many people are interested in entering this sought after career field, but once you’ve established yourself, you should have multiple opportunities for both employment and advancement.
Making a Difference
As a paralegal, you may have the opportunity work for an attorney who specializes in an area of the legal system that you’re passionate about, and that has personal significance for you. For example, you could work for lawyers specializing in criminal law, family law, labor law or immigration law, to name a few.
The specifics of your day-today job will vary based on the area of law you work in and the attorney you work for, but you’ll often have the opportunity to play a role in the outcomes of cases, and (in many cases) contribute to legal justice.
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