According to the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Outlook Quarterly, paralegals are employed in the fastest growing occupation "requiring some postsecondary training or extensive employer training," and the demand is expected to increase by 85 percent by the year 2005. Older paralegals may have only on-the-job training. Younger paralegals are increasingly likely to be college graduates who have received paralegal training after graduation at universities (including Roosevelt) or private specialized schools (Philadelphia Institute). The training programs run from a few weeks to 11 months depending on the degree of specialization required. Many schools offer part-time and evening programs.
It's possible to have a good, challenging career as a paralegal. Moreover, there is always the possibility that if you work in the legal world for a while and acquire skills useful in legal practice, you will improve your attractiveness to law schools. In small but steady numbers, paralegals do eventually go to law school.
If you are interested in paralegal education, I suggest that you investigate your options carefully. Many programs recruit aggressively on college campuses, and information will be available from your placement center. Training programs vary in length and cost. You should understand exactly what kinds of jobs a program will prepare you for before you enroll. Some train you for nothing more demanding than clerical work. Ask what kinds of jobs alumni have obtained; if possible, talk to some of them. Schools vary in quality as well. The American Bar Association accredits some paralegal programs, including those at NYU and the Denver Paralegal Institute. It's not necessary to attend an accredited program to qualify for a good job (at least not while there's a shortage of trained people), but accreditation provides a guarantee of at least minimal quality. If you consider a non-accredited program, it's even more important to understand what you're paying for, and how well previous students have done, before you enroll.
As prison systems expand, there are also growing opportunities in the field of criminal justice. Jobs in police administration, penal system management, and similar fields are usually filled by college graduates who majored in criminal justice administration, sociology, social work, or other liberal arts subjects. But some schools, including Rutgers, Washington State, and Indiana, offer advanced degrees in criminal justice administration. Graduates become prison wardens, police administrators, and managers in bureaucracies oriented toward criminal justice.
Master's-level programs in government, public administration, and public policy may lead to governmental careers very closely related to legal work in the areas of government regulation of business or city planning, to name just two. The George Washington University, for example, offers extensive programs in political campaigning, lobbying, and "issues management."
If you've been doing your homework, you know that law in the United States is a growth industry. As the number of lawyers increases, we expect that the numbers of all the other professionals and paraprofessionals that work along with lawyers will also increase. If you are a college graduate with an interest in law, you're likely to be in demand. In the near future, it will remain possible to have an interesting and rewarding career in law-related work, even if you don't go to law school.
