The profession of paralegal has evolved over the past three decades to include more responsibility, as well as becoming one of the fastest-growing professions in the US. Writing in the Wichita Eagle, former president of the Kansas Association of Legal Assistants Nancy Mendenhall said that there is more demand than ever for educated and qualified people to perform a variety of legal tasks under lawyers' supervision. She also described how "today's paralegals are not content to rest on the success of the profession's past years", with increasing numbers of continuing education programs available for those who want to further their knowledge. Those who are starting out in the field should pursue an associate degree in paralegal studies or a bachelor's degree that is coupled with a paralegal certificate. There are around 1,000 formal paralegal training programs, according to the Department of Labor (DOL), with 260 of these approved by the American Bar Association. Once furnished with a degree, approximately seven out of ten paralegals work in law firms, while the others are employed by corporate legal departments or government agencies. According to the most recent DOL data, paralegals earn a median salary of $43,040, with those working for the federal government earning the most. This figure may vary based on location, employer and experience.  |