Why Become a Paralegal?

There are many reasons people choose to enter the legal profession. For those passionate about justice and upholding the law, starting a career in the legal field feels like a natural step to finding personal and professional fulfillment. Becoming a paralegal opens the door for the individual to serve the public and maintain a respectable career. Attorneys and paralegals are generally well respected for the work that they do to help clients in difficult situations.

One of the reasons many choose to become a paralegal is because they have a strong desire to work in the legal field. This desire can come from an interest in law or just a desire to help people who need legal representation. There are many great advantages and benefits to becoming a paralegal.

One of the benefits to being a paralegal is that the individual has a better chance to get into law school. If a person has dreams or aspirations of eventually becoming a lawyer being a paralegal can greatly help. Doing paralegal work can help a person gain the experience that is necessary to succeed in law school. Many aspiring lawyers first turned to paralegal programs to get their foot in the door and gain the upper hand when it comes to getting into a great law school.

Another great advantage to being a paralegal is the ability to work in the public eye and help individuals who have been taken advantage of in some way. Many paralegals find that assisting clients with proving their innocence or obtaining their rights can be greatly satisfying and rewarding.

Another reason to consider becoming a paralegal is that working as a paralegal opens the door to secure positions in other companies. The skills required to be a paralegal involve being meticulous with paperwork, being prompt, handling stress effectively, and the ability to handle clients. This type of administrative experience really helps a person to move into other professions rather easily.

Another benefit is the pay. The pay isn’t bad and less lucrative firms like family law and civil law can still provide opportunities for a paralegal to make a comfortable income due to the overtime that is normally included in the work week. Typically, paralegals have a 35-hour workweek, but they are paid time and a half for any overtime so the base salary is often a bit lower than what the paralegal can expect to make.

Above all, the stability and longevity of the legal field is a great reason to pursue a paralegal career. Working in the legal field is recession proof and ensures that the individual has a stable income through difficult economic times. One of the most desirable aspects of any career field is a job that is stable. Paralegals who enter the profession know that they have a job that they can rely on to provide for their financial and professional needs for many years to come. In today’s economy in particular, job stability is one of the most important factors an individual should keep in mind when making a career decision. When a person decides to become a paralegal they enter a resilient career field that will expose them to great benefits, invaluable knowledge, and an excellent experience.