The Top 10 Reasons to
Become a Paralegal

Girl looking upThinking about becoming a paralegal? Here are 10 top reasons why you should:

  1. You’ll be in demand. Paralegals are in high demand because they permit lawyers to more efficiently and profitably provide legal services.  For this reason, employment for paralegals is projected to grow much faster than average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Currently, there are about 90,000 paralegals in the country, and the BLS expects that number to double in size between now and 2014.

  2. You’ll have one of the best jobs in America. CNN Money Magazine ranks the paralegal profession as the 27th best job in America. According to the magazine, the paralegal field is one of the fastest-growing and highest-paying professions in the country.

  3. You can work in nearly every kind of environment—or for yourself. The possibilities are endless for paralegals who want to take their careers to new heights. The skills gained on the job, from organizational to technological to professional, provide a firm foundation for a myriad of career opportunities. Paralegals are employed by law firms, government agencies, corporate legal departments, insurance companies, real estate and title agencies, trade associations, the Armed Forces, financial institutions, and educational institutions, just to name a few. In addition, paralegal education and training provides excellent preparation for many other professions such as health care, politics, the movie and music industries, and more. Many paralegals are also self-employed and contract their services to law firms.

  4. You can specialize—and make yourself more attractive to employers. If you’re interested in certain area of the law, you can pursue it without having to invest huge amounts of time, money, and effort in law school. Once you master a specialty area, you can even become a freelancer and market your services to law firms.

  5. Your work will be varied. No day will be the same. You’ll constantly be stretched in new ways. You’ll be involved in disclosure and discovery work, locating and contacting of witnesses, investigative research, and all aspects of trial preparation and support. Throughout the course of a week, you’ll be likely to spend your time researching legal precedent, investigating facts, preparing legal documents, and conducting research to support a legal proceeding, to formulate a defense, or to initiate a legal action. Paralegals actually handle more of the practical and procedural aspects of law than lawyers.

  6. You’ll move up the ladder—fast. Success is common in the paralegal profession…just ask any of our graduates. Opportunities for advancement are typical for those in the paralegal field who are experts at their jobs and who do good work.

  7. You’ll constantly increase your knowledge of the law. The legal profession demands you keep up with the ever-changing laws and regulations of your specialty. Continuing education and training—such as the advanced and specialty courses and CLE (continuing legal education) seminars AIPS offers—are part of being a paralegal.

  8. You’ll make a difference. Paralegals are professionals trained to assist attorneys so the attorneys can focus on providing the best legal advice and services to their clients. This permits more clients to be served, and better, more personal and cost effective service for each client.

  9. You’ll be well-prepared for law school. Should you decide at some point that you want to become a lawyer, your background and experience as a paralegal will give you a practical advantage in your future law school studies. 

  10. You can work anywhere. Paralegals are needed wherever there are lawyers—and they’re everywhere. You’ll gain a wide variety of skills—such as research, writing, assisting clients, preparing and drafting contracts and agreements, and obtaining financial information—that will be valuable in any work environment. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, private law firms employ seven out of 10 paralegals and legal assistants; most of the remainder work for corporate legal departments and various levels of government, such as the U.S. Department of Justice, Social Security Administration, and U.S. Department of the Treasury.


Ready to stretch, specialize, and succeed? Enhance your current career, get the promotion you want, or obtain a new position. Contact AIPS at 800-553-2420 or take our online introductory virtual tour

Stretch. Specialize. Succeed.