The legal assistant profession is one of the occupations projected to grow the fastest through the year 2014 according to the U.S. Department of Labor. A legal assistant (or paralegal) is a valued member of the legal team and works under the supervision of attorneys.
This program is approved by the American Bar Association and is designed to train qualified legal assistants capable of working in a variety of areas of the law and in a variety of work environments. Consequently, the role and job duties of a legal assistant vary depending on the areas of law and work environment in which a legal assistant is employed. Such diversity, varied challenges, and employment possibilities are what makes the legal assistant profession so interesting and rewarding.
There are four different degrees or offerings in legal studies. They are as follows: (1) a four-year baccalaureate degree in legal studies with an emphasis in legal administration, criminal law, personal injury, labor law, legislative/constitutional law, environmental law and policy, legal technology, or client advocacy or a selected minor as approved by the legal studies coordinator; (2) a two-year associate’s degree in legal studies; (3) a post-baccalaureate (one-year) certificate in legal studies (which is available to students who already have a bachelor’s degree in some other discipline and wish to make a career change or advancement); or (4) a minor in legal studies which can complement various majors (and may also be helpful to students who are planning on attending law school).
Legal assistants are employed with:
- private law firms
- corporations
- financial institutions
- government (federal, tribal, state or local)
- courts and mediation systems
- real estate offices and title companies
- insurance companies
- special interest groups
- prosecutor or public defender offices
- educational institutions
- financial service organizations
- credit and collection agencies
- service, consulting or publishing companies
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Specialties in:
- Client Advocacy
- Criminal Law
- Environmental Law and Policy Labor Law
- Legal Administration
- Legal Technology Legislative/ Constitutional Law
- Personal Injury
Average Salary of Graduates (NACE)
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