Legal
Paralegal
Assist lawyers by investigating facts, preparing legal documents, or researching legal precedent. Conduct research to support a legal proceeding, to formulate a defense, or to initiate legal action.
Median pay
$62,890
Growth to 2035
0%
little or no change
Openings a year
40,800
Time to qualify*
8 months
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Paralegal
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Associate's degree
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- None
- Required
- No license in most states; certification (NALA, NFPA) optional
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Paralegal: 37% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Prepare affidavits or other documents, such as legal correspondence, and organize and maintain documents in paper or electronic filing system.
- Prepare, edit, or review legal documents, including legislation, briefs, pleadings, appeals, wills, contracts, and real estate closing statements.
- Investigate facts and law of cases and search pertinent sources, such as public records and internet sources, to determine causes of action and to prepare cases.
- Prepare for trial by performing tasks such as organizing exhibits.
- Meet with clients and other professionals to discuss details of cases.
- Gather and analyze research data, such as statutes, decisions, and legal articles, codes, and documents.
Also called: Immigration Paralegal · Law Associate · Legal Analyst · Legal Assistant · Legal Clerk · Legal Processing Assistant · Litigation Paralegal · Paralegal
Outlook and AI
Paralegals held 404,900 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 403,800 by 2035 (0%, little or no change; all jobs: +3.5%).
Productivity change - share decreases as tasks such as conducting research and preparing documents are increasingly automated via technology including artificial intelligence (AI), reducing the need for these workers.
Compare with
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