Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am trying to figure out where to move myself and my children. I am a single mom of two girls, (13 and 4). I am trying to figure out to relocate us. I need info on the "best places".
I am currently in school going after my paralegal degree and here in Colorado Springs, CO, there aren't really any opportunity. Our job market is really horrible here.
If anyone can help me, I would appreciate it. I'm thinking of Atlanta, GA...Raleigh, NC...Tampa, FL...Dallas, TX...Los Angeles, Ca....(from there). I really need a new start. PLEASE HELP...
Thanks
I'd suggest getting your resume out there and seeing what offers you get, if you're ready for that yet.
As far as cost of living, the midwest and south are generally pretty affordable.
The closest "metro" to me is St. Louis, but the city schools usually aren't very good, unless you get into a charter school or a private school. Suburb schools are generally good. According to STLToday, a firm called Kramer& Frank, P.C. has entry-level positions available for those with 0-1 years experience, but salary is not listed. Craigslist has a listing for $23/hour for Paralegal Specialist, but I would bet you'd need more experience. There's another similar listing in Fairview Heights, IL for $23.06 an hour.
Here's another:
Quote:
Legal Assistant/ParalegalVery busy family law office looking for legal assistant/paralegal. MUST: 1. Type at least 50wpm 2. Have 1 year experience 3. Be able to transcribe dictation from a Dictaphone
Other job duties include preparation of correspondence and pleadings, answering a multi-line telephone, filing and assisting clients.
Another for $40-$45k a year, but you need 3-5 years experience. Bankruptcy Paralegal needed in Brentwood, pay based on experience. Another paralegal job for Litigation and Family Law paralegals with at least 2 years experience. Pay based on experience. Another Legal Assistant/Paralegal listing in Clayton, salary based on experience. There are more listings for legal secretaries.
Any of those cities are nice, but L.A. is apparently very unaffordable. Florida may be less affordable as well.
What about climate? That can vary a lot depending on the city.
In St. Louis, if you want to buy, you can usually find a good 3 BR house for $250k. Apartments/Lofts/houses for rent on Craigslist run anywhere from $550/month to $1500/month (city and suburbs), but most appear to be under $1000/month.
Raleigh appears to have similar rent costs on Craigslist. Cheapest 3 BR place on Craiglist for LA is $1200/month in California City (not sure if the area is good or not), and $1395 in Baldwin Park. Most 3BR apartments in the Atlanta area are over $1000. There's one fo $600 in Adamsville, $850 in Hampton, and $900 in Loganville. Tampa Bay Craigslist has a few 3BR listed under $1000/month, but most are over. $800 in Dade City and $175 for a doublewide in Valrico. All the rest are at least $800/month. Dallas has a few under $1000/month, but very few.
So, as far as apartment affordability, Raleigh looks like the best bet from your list.
As far as jobs, Dallas craigslist has an entry-level Paralegal position open for $31,000 a year.
Quote:
Great opportunity for entry-level paralegal. Bachelor's and a minimum 3.0 GPA required. No prior legal experience necessary. Must have excellent professionalism and interpersonal skills. Please attach resume in Word Format.
Atlanta has a listing for entry-level paralegal, but no salary listed. Senior Paralegal wanted, 5 years experience. Finance paralegal, 3 years experience. Corporate and Securities paralegal - 5 years experience. Trademark paralegal - experience needed. Real Estate Paralegal - experience needed. Professional generalistic paralegal - 5 years experience. Family Law paralegal - 3-5 years experience. Paralegal position $35k-$45k, level of experience not listed. There are some other listings, most require at least 2 years experience.
Raleigh:
Quote:
I need a full time paralegal to start ASAP. We do mostly family law and criminal law. Experience in a law office or any office is preferable. Must have strong writing and communication skills. Some training will be provided. Salary is negotiable.
Location: Raleigh, NC
Compensation: $9-$15 per hour, depending on experience
Quote:
Trademark paralegal needed for IP firm located in Raleigh, NC - ideal candidate will have 1-5 years of trademark experience, with knowledge of PTO rules and procedures. Candidate must be proficient in MS Office, good typing skills, attention to detail a must. Excellent pay and benefits and fantastic work environment. Please submit resume.
Location: Raleigh, NC
Compensation: $35k-$50k depending on experience
Quote:
Paralegal for small, Chapel Hill law office. Great opportunity for a new career. Warm, informal atmosphere. College graduate or equivalent experience. Requires lots of interaction with the public, multitasking and prioritizing. Must be organized and computer literate. Spanish-speaking and familiarity with medical terms a plus. Full time, permanent position. $25,000 to start, plus full health and dental benefits. Must be able to start immediately.
Location: Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Quote:
Paralegals needed for temporary, temp-to-hire, and permanent placement positions in Triangle-area law firms of varying types and sizes. Qualified applicants will have a four-year degree, ABA paralegal certification, and at least one year experience as a paralegal (or equivalent professional experience), as well as proficiency with legal research and writing. We are looking for paralegals with a minimum of one-year experience in at least one of many different areas of law, including but not limited to litigation, IP/patent law, corporate law, employment law or trusts and estates.
Quote:
A small Raleigh law firm focusing primarily on the representation of bankruptcy debtors is seeking a paralegal to join our team. Bankruptcy experience preferred, but is not necessary. We are seeking an energetic, enthusiastic self-starter who will enjoy working in a team-oriented environment. Candidates must have a strong work ethic, must be detail oriented and dependable, along with excellent organizational and communication skills. Candidates must also be efficient in Microsoft Office programs. The perfect candidate will have a friendly yet professional attitude. Customer service experience preferred. Salary commensurate with experience.
Los Angeles
Quote:
Westside boutique law firm with unique national federal & state trial and appellate practice seeks a bright, committed, paralegal with good organizational skills and capacity to assume responsibility. The paralegal we are looking for must have an outstanding academic background and references and demonstrated job stability.
Salary: Competitive DOE.
There's a few (so far 4) paralegal listings requiring that you speak English and Spanish.
Quote:
Applicant will assist senior paralegal working with several attorneys with various paralegal assignments. This is an hourly position and some of the work can be done over the internet and from home. The applicant must have access to a high speed internet connection. Applicant should have entry level paralegal skills to include organizing documents and preparing factual chronologies. Please send coverletter and resume. The coverletter is your writing sample.
Location: AV - Santa Clarita - SF Valley - West LA
Compensation: $10 per hour - Up to $20 per hour with experience
Telecommuting is ok.
This is a part-time job.
This is a contract job.
This is an internship job
Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
Please, no phone calls about this job!
Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.
Quote:
We are a start-up (only 3 yrs in business), high energy, fast-paced disability law firm whose mission is to secure benefits for disabled Americans in an environment of dignity and respect. DGI does not require ANY legal or medical experience! We have a training program available for all new employees.
SKILLS REQUIRED:
* MS Word (40 wpm)
* MS Excel
DUTIES INCLUDE:
* You will assist the attorneys in the development of our cases
* Build & maintain lasting client relationships
* Update clients on the status of their case
* Request information and records from medical care providers
COMPENSATION:
* $11 /hour + available overtime * Health Insurance (after 90 days of employment)
There's another part-time position for $9/hour in the area.
Tampa Area
Entry Level Legal Assistant. $12-$15/hour based on experience. Spanish-speaking required.
Most the rest require more experience than you seem to have.
Last edited by STLCardsBlues1989; 02-08-2008 at 11:53 PM..
Thanks.
What part of california are you in? I am from there, Manhattan Beach, LA, etc.
I really miss the beach but don't think I could afford to go back.
I live in Marin County, just north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Id love to suggest moving here to the Bay Area cause the wages are on par with Metro New York as well as the quality of life is unbelievable but suffice it to say that where you pay an arm and a leg in LA, up here youd pay both arms and legs. LOL
I have lots of relatives originally here but have since moved to Houston and love it there cause the cost of living is much more reasonable. Ive been there several times and think its okay. Not for me, but I can see how the affordability would be attractive. Plus Houston is an amazingly diverse city with tons of amenities...plus its really spread out like Metro LA so you might have to adjust to that after living in Colorado Springs.
Obviously Craigslist probably doesn't list all available jobs, but I hope my post gives you an idea or experience needed and possible salary compared with cost of rent. Good luck!
Obviously Craigslist probably doesn't list all available jobs, but I hope my post gives you an idea or experience needed and possible salary compared with cost of rent. Good luck!
Lots of good info you provided......poof-positive rating
I'd suggest getting your resume out there and seeing what offers you get, if you're ready for that yet.
As far as cost of living, the midwest and south are generally pretty affordable.
The closest "metro" to me is St. Louis, but the city schools usually aren't very good, unless you get into a charter school or a private school. Suburb schools are generally good. According to STLToday, a firm called Kramer& Frank, P.C. has entry-level positions available for those with 0-1 years experience, but salary is not listed. Craigslist has a listing for $23/hour for Paralegal Specialist, but I would bet you'd need more experience. There's another similar listing in Fairview Heights, IL for $23.06 an hour.
Here's another:
Another for $40-$45k a year, but you need 3-5 years experience. Bankruptcy Paralegal needed in Brentwood, pay based on experience. Another paralegal job for Litigation and Family Law paralegals with at least 2 years experience. Pay based on experience. Another Legal Assistant/Paralegal listing in Clayton, salary based on experience. There are more listings for legal secretaries.
Any of those cities are nice, but L.A. is apparently very unaffordable. Florida may be less affordable as well.
What about climate? That can vary a lot depending on the city.
In St. Louis, if you want to buy, you can usually find a good 3 BR house for $250k. Apartments/Lofts/houses for rent on Craigslist run anywhere from $550/month to $1500/month (city and suburbs), but most appear to be under $1000/month.
Raleigh appears to have similar rent costs on Craigslist. Cheapest 3 BR place on Craiglist for LA is $1200/month in California City (not sure if the area is good or not), and $1395 in Baldwin Park. Most 3BR apartments in the Atlanta area are over $1000. There's one fo $600 in Adamsville, $850 in Hampton, and $900 in Loganville. Tampa Bay Craigslist has a few 3BR listed under $1000/month, but most are over. $800 in Dade City and $175 for a doublewide in Valrico. All the rest are at least $800/month. Dallas has a few under $1000/month, but very few.
So, as far as apartment affordability, Raleigh looks like the best bet from your list.
As far as jobs, Dallas craigslist has an entry-level Paralegal position open for $31,000 a year.
Atlanta has a listing for entry-level paralegal, but no salary listed. Senior Paralegal wanted, 5 years experience. Finance paralegal, 3 years experience. Corporate and Securities paralegal - 5 years experience. Trademark paralegal - experience needed. Real Estate Paralegal - experience needed. Professional generalistic paralegal - 5 years experience. Family Law paralegal - 3-5 years experience. Paralegal position $35k-$45k, level of experience not listed. There are some other listings, most require at least 2 years experience.
Raleigh:
Los Angeles
There's a few (so far 4) paralegal listings requiring that you speak English and Spanish.
There's another part-time position for $9/hour in the area.
Tampa Area
Entry Level Legal Assistant. $12-$15/hour based on experience. Spanish-speaking required.
Most the rest require more experience than you seem to have.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
11,974 posts, read 25,470,414 times
Reputation: 12187
Louisville, KY has a good economy and is much more affordable and safer than the other places you mentioned.
Dallas ranks the 6th most dangerous city and Atlanta is the 10th most dangerous city. By comparison, Louisville is the 8th safest large city in the US.
Louisville also has a very vibrant arts and music scene, with many artsy neighborhoods.
Louisville, KY has a good economy and is much more affordable and safer than the other places you mentioned.
Dallas ranks the 6th most dangerous city and Atlanta is the 10th most dangerous city. By comparison, Louisville is the 8th safest large city in the US.
Louisville also has a very vibrant arts and music scene, with many artsy neighborhoods.
Birmingham, Alabama, has more lawyers than you can shake a stick at, the country's lowest unemployment rate, and pretty affordable housing. Really deserves a look.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
