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The Helping Hand of the LawBy No AuthorLearning & Life Columnist
What happens if you're 22-years old, you've got a wife and a child, and one day while you're painting a building two floors up at work, your ladder breaks, and you suddenly find yourself paralyzed from the waist down? If you're lucky, you find yourself working with a paralegal like Paula Christensen.
A case just like this one landed at Christensen & Jensen, P.C. - the Salt Lake City law firm where Paula works. As she does in almost every case, she met with the client, tracked down and interviewed witnesses, and researched similar cases. The result? With his settlement, the man bought a hand-operated Bobcat. He's been working ever since, and he and his family are doing just fine. It's the cases like that, Paula says, that she finds really rewarding. Something else Paula loves about her paralegal career, "There's nothing mundane about it. It's always interesting." What's Being a Paralegal All About?Paralegals are a critical part of a legal team. They don't argue cases in court or provide legal counsel to clients, activities which are carried out strictly by attorneys, but they do meet with clients, prepare legal documents, conduct research, and much more.Many of these functions have traditionally been lawyers' jobs, but law firms have discovered that paralegals can perform them at a fraction of the cost. It's a win-win, since paralegals reap the benefits of varied and interesting work. The nitty-gritty of paralegals' work depends on the law firm (or government agency, corporation, etc.) for which they work. Firms that specialize in corporate litigation pass along different work than firms specializing in civil rights law. But in almost all cases, paralegal work is a mix of intellectual tasks and administrative tasks. More thought is involved with interviewing clients and witnesses and collecting and analyzing evidence. Administrative tasks can include preparing exhibits, filing, and other small jobs. How's the Paralegal Job Market?Because paralegals help streamline law firms' operations, more and more firms are looking to add paralegals to their offices. Growth in the number of positions for paralegals is growing rapidly as a result. Jobs for paralegals outside law firms, such as in the government, consumer organizations, or community legal service providers, are also on the rise. This translates to a field full of opportunities.Salaries for paralegals depend on factors like geographic location, the type of employer, and a paralegal's experience, but paralegals can earn more than $60,000 with the potential for bonuses on top of their base salary. What Kind of Training is Needed to Be a Paralegal?Law firms often train paralegals on the job. For instance, Paula started working at Christensen & Jensen as a legal secretary in 1978, and after leaving to raise a family, she returned in 1999 and worked as a legal secretary for another two years before transitioning into her position as a paralegal.More and more, employers are looking to hire individuals with a post-secondary paralegal education, like an Associate of Applied Science degree in Paralegal Studies. For those who have already earned a degree in another field, paralegal certificate programs are another common educational track. Paralegal training programs are offered by schools around the country as well as online. As a result, paralegal programs offering both general training and courses in specific areas like tax law or family law are readily available. Having an opportunity to help those who have had a tough turn in their lives can be part of the intangible benefits of this career. A paralegal career offers the chance to use the law in a very positive way and give you a reason to smile on your way to work each day. About the AuthorCharity Shumway teaches writing at Oregon State University. Her previous experience includes working for the Community Development Venture Capital Alliance, a not-for-profit in New York City, and serving as the director for several educational programs for at-risk youth in Boston. Charity holds a B.A. in English from Harvard University.Source:
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