Friendly towards entry-level candidates, government organizations are a good place to get started; they also offer internships to students and recent graduates. "The opportunities in the public sector are great for someone just entering the field. It is a great place to gain experience, network, and learn the system," said Mary Donovan, Support for Juvenile and District Court Assistant District Attorneys in Lowell, MA. "Paralegals who work for municipal government work on many of the same issues as paralegals who work in the private sector, only with a different perspective," explained Tobie Cioccia, local government paralegal for the City of Portsmouth, VA, and President of the Local Government Paralegal Association of Virginia (LGPA.) "Our client is also our employer, similar to in-house counsel." Besides district, county, and city attorneys' offices, paralegals may find jobs at administrative agencies, courthouses, lobby groups, and community-based organizations. The role of legal staff in these arenas can range from administrative support to legal research, from obtaining and indexing evidence to analyzing files. Government paralegals may research and organize information that serves the general public; some qualified and authorized paralegals may even represent people at agency hearings or aid those who can't afford traditional legal representation. "Paralegals are also qualified to work in various departments within local government that would utilize their paralegal skills and knowledge, [like] risk management or human resources, but would not be classified as a paralegal," Ms. Cioccia pointed out. The number of legal staff openings in the public sector is likely to continue growing. In fact, many paralegals working for the government cite lack of manpower and the vast amount of work as the job's greatest challenges. "The most challenging part of my job is the number of cases that we handle on a daily basis. It sometimes seems that we will never catch up," stated Ms. Donovan. Legal staff are kept busy with a wide variety of tasks, making for a diverse work environment. "Paralegals draft city ordinances and resolutions, as well as pleadings, correspondence, [in addition to] meeting with citizens and contact with city council members, business officials, judges, and court personnel," said Sandra Claxton, Legal Executive Coordinator for the City of Norfolk, VA, and Vice President of LGPA. "Every day is a different experience," Ms. Donovan said. "It seems that we are always trying to track down something needed by the assistant district attorneys: a file, an officer, evidence, or a report that is needed in the courtroom. If we are not tracking things down, we are busy doing notifications to officers and civilians, completing discovery, and updating cases." On the local level, legal staff often get involved with lawmaking and enforcement as well. "They are involved in economic development, land use issues, and historical preservation," Ms. Cioccia listed. "They assist the City Attorney with preparation for court proceedings on behalf of the Social Services Department; employment law issues include grievance procedures and civil service hearings." Paralegals in the public sector often work in many different areas of the law, leading to colorful resumes and overall wisdom in the field. "The job's greatest rewards are too many to mention, but I've been exposed to specialized areas of law because of the nature of work of my supervising attorney," Ms. Claxton says. "I have been fortunate enough to work with experienced lawyers who took the time to train and teach me on the job. As the years went by, I took on more responsibility: drafting pleadings, litigation responses, processing claims, developing a comprehensive case management system, and went back to college to complement what I was learning on the job." Such dedication to continued education and taking initiative is key to doing well in the public sector. Being a government paralegal or legal assistant often means a more relaxed, less pressured workplace. "There are no timesheets or billing quotas," explained Ms. Cioccia. "There is the freedom of being able to sit, discuss, and analyze a problem, a case or issue without the fear of over-billing a client. There is not the incessant pressure to bill every minute possible in order to justify your existence." In addition, paralegals in the public sector often have a lasting impact on the community. "The greatest reward would have to be the people I have met and the entire experience of working in the office and knowing that you contribute to making the community a safer place," Ms. Donovan said.

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