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A 4 year degree in anything and a paralegal certificate from an ABA approved school - obtained after you finish your bachelors degree - is usually the best thing to do. Law firms don't care what the 4 year degree is in, unless it's in nursing, then that puts you in a different category, nurse paralegal.
There aren't any jobs though. The big high paying law firms are laying off right and left. Those are the ones that want to see a 4 year degree and a paralegal certificate. They bill you out at a higher rate if you have a bachelors degree (when there's work).
Small firms and sole practitioners don't care so much, and you will make $10/hour.
There is some hope in the mid-sized firms. Some care and some don't care what your education is. One place I worked required you to have 2 of the 3 - (1) college degree, (2) legal experience including file clerk and receptionist and/or (3) paralegal certificate from anywhere even the mail order places, unless you're sleeping with one of the partners then none of that matters. Another place I worked had no minimum education or certificate requirements for their paralegals. None.
I would not get near the paralegal field with a 10-foot pole. It's a dying profession. Salaries are going down, not up. Attorneys have figured out they can take a smart high school graduate and teach them what they need to know and pay them half as much. There are some higher paying paralegal jobs, but they require a high level of specialized experience that's tough to develop.
I would not get near the paralegal field with a 10-foot pole. It's a dying profession. Salaries are going down, not up. Attorneys have figured out they can take a smart high school graduate and teach them what they need to know and pay them half as much. There are some higher paying paralegal jobs, but they require a high level of specialized experience that's tough to develop.
I have been hearing/reading the exact opposite. That law firms are using more paralegals, giving them more tasks, and dropping lawyers to save $$$ and earn larger bonuses for the partners.
I realize this is an older thread but my step-mom went back to school to become a paralegal in her mid 40's. She works for the Federal Bankruptcy court and there are a lot of males in her department. Many of the people working with her are nearing retirement age too so there will be some job openings there. Don't rule out working in the corporate world either. Many companies hire paralegals for their legal departments so law firms aren't the only places to get a job in this field.
Im a male of 41 years old I was thinking of going back to school to become a Paralegal. I was wondering if employers hire males. My wife is going to take the course, and I have been looking for a career change,as I have been in retail sales for 18 years and absolutely hate it.
Your input on this would be very helpfull.
I used to practice law. Why would I care if I had a male or a female paralegal? The only thing that I would care about would be whether he or she could do the job in question. I don't know where you are getting this from!! :O)
I have been hearing/reading the exact opposite. That law firms are using more paralegals, giving them more tasks, and dropping lawyers to save $$$ and earn larger bonuses for the partners.
+1.
I'm not contesting claims that the PL occupation is a dead end, though, as it can be.
As some say, a PL can never be a partner in a law firm and therefore cannot split fees. A PL can hope for a bonus and/or a raise, but that's it. Most PL's make more money by moving into a better-paying PL job.
A PL can never be promoted to the level of atty. The only way to become an atty is to get your JD and then pass the bar. If a PL highly impresses the partners as a firm, maybe they'll send him to law school and pay his way, after which he will have to work for them for however many years they specify. That means quite a few. I expect this will be less common in the future than in the past, though, with the glut of law school students and grads the firms will be able to choose from.
One has to be very clear about what can and cannot do with a PL career before investing time or money into going to school for a PL certificate lest disillusionment ensue.
If one wants respect, status, power, upward mobility and all else that is desirable in one's career and one wants to work in law, one will have to be the atty.
One has to be even more careful about investing the time and money into a law school education than a PL certificate, though, as, unless you're a 22 year-old who's getting a free ride, you're looking at expenses of anywhere from $60-120k, depending on if you go to a non-ABA school or an ABA school, the latter being desirable, and that's not even mentioning your living expenses.
When I hire a paralegal I am intereste in their competence, not their appearance. Male or female I do nto care, although I could see problems hiring a really hot young lady (all the associatates woudl cluster around her all day and get nothing done). At 60 there could be some concerns. Many of our cases last for years and years. No matter what your background, it will take you at least 6 months to a year to get up to speed with our practice and our specialty area. If you are 60 now, 62 when you get your certificate, that means that you are likely to retire before finishing even one case. That could be a concern. We need continiuty. Loosing a good paralegal is devastating.
OUr firm has three paralegals. Two women one man. One is in her 20s, the other two are in their 50s or 60s. They are all extremely competent. That is what matters. Extremely comptent paralegals are very hard to find. In my expereince 90% are incompetent, 5% are marginal and 5% are competent. Thus, if you are competent, I do not much care what your age, gender, height weight, sexual orintation, or fashion sense. If we actually had two competent candidates other factors might come into play but noramlly the quest is "which of these 35 applicants is acatually competent. Once you figure out which one that is, other factors immediately become irrelevant.
Im a male of 41 years old I was thinking of going back to school to become a Paralegal. I was wondering if employers hire males. My wife is going to take the course, and I have been looking for a career change,as I have been in retail sales for 18 years and absolutely hate it.
Your input on this would be very helpfull.
Foreverking,
I admire your spirit and I wish you the best of luck; however, you should be well aware that the ratio of men to women is 8 to1. As a male paralegal, even a qualified and experienced paralegal, your chances of employment are not as great as those of female candidates.
I, like you, went to school to get a degree in paralegal studies. Eventually, I got an associates of science in paralegal studies. After graduation, I found that ever ad in every paper and website had a list of ridiculous requirements.
In fact, my first application was to a firm advertising an entry level position. When I went to their website to apply, the ad stated that candidates must posses 10 years of litigation experience, a bachelors degree, and a paralegal certificate. My mind was blown but I applied anyway and I waited and waited for a response. I never heard back from these people. Seriously, they might as well have required a J.D., M.D., Ph.D., AND an Olympic gold medal. It's completely ridiculous to the point of being totally abusive.
If you ask these firms about their requirements (you will have to call them because they will not call you), they will do one of two things; (a) politely end the conversation; or (b) give you a story about having many resumes to review followed by a story about how yours was the least interesting in their pile.
After failing to find a job as a paralegal, I went back to school and got a bachelors of science in the same field. I again began to apply for positions with renewed hope and vigor. Just about every listing I found had a set of ridiculous requirements that most people could never hope to meet. The greatest of these is the ridiculous experience requirement, which existed even for "entry level" positions.
Every firm I looked at had an abundance of female paralegals (most of whom supported the senior partners) and if there was a male, he was assigned to work for the newer, non-partners in firm. Now I cannot say whether or not this was because the partners liked eye candy with skills or because those firms do not value male paralegals as much as female paralegals, but the make-up of the office staff spoke volumes.
As a victim of a corrupt system, I would urge you, if you are interested in law and have an analytical mind, to attend law school. You will be more likely to get a fair break and you will make much more money.
When I hire a paralegal I am intereste in their competence, not their appearance. Male or female I do nto care, although I could see problems hiring a really hot young lady (all the associatates woudl cluster around her all day and get nothing done). At 60 there could be some concerns. Many of our cases last for years and years. No matter what your background, it will take you at least 6 months to a year to get up to speed with our practice and our specialty area. If you are 60 now, 62 when you get your certificate, that means that you are likely to retire before finishing even one case. That could be a concern. We need continiuty. Loosing a good paralegal is devastating.
OUr firm has three paralegals. Two women one man. One is in her 20s, the other two are in their 50s or 60s. They are all extremely competent. That is what matters. Extremely comptent paralegals are very hard to find. In my expereince 90% are incompetent, 5% are marginal and 5% are competent. Thus, if you are competent, I do not much care what your age, gender, height weight, sexual orintation, or fashion sense. If we actually had two competent candidates other factors might come into play but noramlly the quest is "which of these 35 applicants is acatually competent. Once you figure out which one that is, other factors immediately become irrelevant.
Coldjensens:
If that is true, you are in the minority as the situation you described is about as common as an honest politician. In any event, many people like myself who are completely qualified, have never been afforded the opportunity to get any experience in the field and are therefore considered persona non grata by most firms. The result of this is that some of us are left with a worthless degree and a huge college debt.
I got my bachelors in 2009 and I have yet to find a job in the field. In fact, even the money-mongers at NALA and the other paralegal associations will not even allow to take their certified paralegal exams because I don't meet their ridiculous and unnecessary experience requirements.
Female paralegals get all the breaks. They get paid for their skills and then they get paid more to look good in a dress. It sucks but that is the world.
Regards,
Iceman
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