Paralegal jobs continue to be in high demand. Between 2018 and 2028, the demand for paralegals is expected to grow by 12%. It’s an exciting professional job opportunity that provides room for growth, both personally and professionally. Yet, not everyone enjoys the hustle and bustle of working in a law firm. Rural locations may not have as many paralegal job opportunities. As a result, qualified paralegals may be forced into long commutes to remain directly involved in the legal industry.
The good news is that if you don’t enjoy working in a law firm, don’t have many actual paralegal job openings in your area, and can’t or don’t want a long commute, the skills of a paralegal are easily transferred to other professional positions. There are also several types of alternative working environments that rely on paralegals. This article explores how paralegal job skills transfer into other professions and work environments, some popular alternative work environments for paralegals, and we’ll also share some entry level paralegal resume and interview tips.
Since the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the paralegal profession to grow much faster than average, we’ll see lots of new paralegals coming into the industry (and we welcome you with open arms!). With renewed interest in forensics, true crime documentaries, and long-standing legal drama shows, there is an increased interest in what is required to become a paralegal. So, before we discuss the transfer of skills and alternative working environments, let’s first answer an important question.
Do You Need a Degree to Work as a Paralegal?
The short answer is no. You do not need a degree to work as a paralegal. That’s not to say that getting a degree is a mistake. There are wonderful degree programs for paralegals. Much like paralegal skills can transfer over to other professions and environments, many degrees provide you with skills that you can use as a paralegal.
Many paralegals learn while on-the-job. Depending on where you live (and where you want to work, including the type of law you’re interested in), it is possible that you’ll find a fair number of entry level paralegal jobs that do not require experience.
In addition to degrees and on-the-job experience, there are also paralegal certificates. This may be a post-baccalaureate certificate program or a full certificate program. With a post-baccalaureate certificate, you take specific substantive law classes designed for paralegals. You may get to choose a concentration, such as civil law or criminal law.
Separate from the above ways to become a paralegal, is certification of a paralegal or legal assistant. Some states or jurisdictions offer their own version of certification. There are also nationally respected paralegal and legal assistant organizations that offer a comprehensive examination of grammar as well as specific areas of law. If you pass one or more of these exams, you become certified. You’ll be allowed to use certain initials after your name to indicate that you’re a certified paralegal or legal assistant. In many jurisdictions, certifications can often mean a better paycheck.
Do Paralegal Job Skills Transfer Well into Other Professions and Work Environments?
Yes, paralegal skills transfer well into other professions and work environments. It doesn’t particularly matter if you learned on-the-job or if you completed a degree or certificate program, either. Here are a few examples:
- The ability to create and follow workflows that are often complex. Whether you work in a small law office or you’re working in BigLaw, you know what it takes to create (and sometimes refine) and follow workflows that are often complex. From preparing exhibits and trial notebooks to following up with clients and opposing counsel on behalf of your supervising attorney, you understand the importance of being efficient and staying on top of each and every matter.
- The ability to apply critical thinking. Critical thinking is an important skill for professionals in every industry. It helps you separate facts from ideas and opinions as well as helps you think through unfamiliar or complex situations.
- Written and verbal communication skills. As a paralegal, you rely on your written and verbal communication skills to deal with various individuals. You know that you change how you communicate based on your audience. You may speak with or reply to an email to a court official or other legal professional much differently than you would with a client who likely has no experience or knowledge of the legal process.
- Interpersonal skills. Although not all paralegals may be directly involved in interviewing clients and witnesses, depositions, or jury selection, you’ll still come into contact with various personalities. Paralegals must have good interpersonal skills to manage all of their relationships in a professional manner. The way paralegals interact with others is a direct reflection of the law firm.
This list could go on and on. Many paralegals handle law firm billing as well as other law office management functions. The continuing evolution of legal tech means that most paralegals are highly competent technology users. Practically every skill a paralegal has can be transferred over to another profession.
Alternative Working Environments for Paralegals
Aside from a law office, there are other alternative environments that offer paralegals the opportunity to use their skills. Each alternative work environment has its own specific benefits. Some of the most popular alternatives to law firms for paralegals include:
- Corporations. Many businesses have legal departments. Corporate paralegals may do tasks such as assist in the creation of subsidiaries, draft and review contracts, assist in Human Resources, provide support for mergers and acquisitions, and act as a contact point for outsiders. They may also draft responses and other legal documents. One of the benefits of working as a corporate paralegal is that there are generally no billable hours.
- Title companies. Many title companies rely on in-house paralegals to assist in title work related to commercial and residential real estate. They may research the chain of title on property, research and review surveys, and work with lawyers and realtors during the real estate buying process. In some states, paralegals may also be allowed to help closings.
- Working within the court. Paralegals may be hired by the court to work directly with judges as their support staff or they may also be found in the various clerk offices that accept filings or recordings. They may assist with scheduling hearings, researching and retrieving documents by the public, and various legal and administrative tasks depending on the clerk’s office for which they work. For example, the county recorder’s office involves deeds and other documentation related to real estate while the small claims division would focus on civil cases involving less than a certain dollar amount requested as monetary relief.
- Working for legal aid organizations or the public defender’s office. If you’re looking to make a difference, you can look for paralegal positions with legal aid organizations or the public defender’s office. The work is similar to that of traditional law offices, but they have a direct impact on the public. You should keep in mind, though, that while these positions are noble and honorable, they don’t always pay as well as other paralegal positions.
That’s just a small selection of alternative working environments for paralegals.
Entry Level Paralegal Resume and Interview Tips
If you’re an entry level paralegal looking to find a job, you should pay close attention to your resume. Focus on the positives. If you don’t have direct experience as a paralegal, what are some similar things from other jobs you’ve held that you can highlight? Also, consider your resume style. Typically, most individuals create a chronological resume, listing their job history starting at their current or most current job and so on through the last ten years. However, if you’re an entry level paralegal, you may consider highlighting your skills and education first. If you were (or are) a student in a paralegal program of any kind, list the courses you’ve taken. List any awards or honors you’ve received, too. Put together a list of professional references. Make sure that your email address is appropriate for your paralegal job search. For example, if your resume and cover letter for a corporate paralegal job may be substantially different than what you’d use for an opening at legal aid or as a family law paralegal.
Create a basic resume and then tailor it to match the needs of the paralegal job you like. Save a new copy of the resume. This can save you time in the future. Lawyers and other professionals are pressed for time. It’s likely your resume won’t get more than 30 seconds to catch their interest. Use it to your advantage.
If you’re chosen for an interview, prepare ahead of time for it. Do some research to learn about open-ended interview questions. You should also prepare for tricky questions such as:
- What are your weaknesses?
- Tell us about a time you and a coworker didn’t get along.
- What didn’t you like about your last manager or work environment?
These aren’t invitations to put yourself down, talk poorly about current or previous coworkers, or talk poorly about your last manager or work environment. It’s to see whether you are objective and recognize that everyone has room for improvement and how you approach difficult situations.
Choose the right outfit. No, you don’t need an expensive name brand suit that drains away your life savings. Of course, if you have a nice outfit to wear, do it. Keep in mind that while the legal industry is continuing to undergo massive change and is beginning to accept more relaxed appearance standards, you should err on the side of caution and dress conservatively for your interview.
Do your research about the law firm, attorney, or business that you’re interviewing with. This can be a game changer. Look for a mission statement and a vision statement read it. If it’s a law firm, read the attorney bios. Look for recent positive news stories about the organization. Think about how your skills and personality would be an asset to the organization.
While searching for a paralegal job may primarily be online, interviewing in person is still alive and well. And some things just don’t change. Be on time (or early). If you’re going to be late because of traffic or for some other factor outside of your control, let them know right away. Bring printed copies of your resume and your cover letter. Shake hands and make eye contract. If there’s more than one person in the room during the interview, make sure that you look at each person even if they don’t ask you anything. Displaying that you can be a team player is extremely important. Recognize that this is also your opportunity to determine if the opening is right for you. If you have questions, ask them. Thank your interviewer when it is over. Follow up in a few days with a written thank you note (just remember to include everyone’s name if there was more than one person in the interview; if you can’t remember their names, you can address this situation by writing something like “I want to thank you and your colleagues for taking the time out of your schedules to speak with me about the paralegal position. It was a pleasure to spend that time with all of you.”
Go Forth and Conquer!
We hope this article has helped better inform you about alternative work environments available for paralegals as well as helped you gain some clarity on styling your resume and attending your interview. Now, go forth and conquer!
