Many vocational and trade schools in Iowa offer paralegal training for people who want to fill the growing need for qualified graduates to assume law office responsibilities. It's a great time to be a paralegal student here in Iowa.

By Gabby Hyman
RWM Columnist
October 03, 2006

The employment of paralegals is expected to grow faster than the average of all other professions through the end of the decade and beyond. Paralegals, who work in corporate and litigation offices here in Iowa, are rapidly assuming law office duties traditionally performed by lawyers who are now burdened with a heavy workload. Iowa trade and vocational schools currently offer accelerated paralegal training programs to qualify graduates for this growing profession.

Whether you're looking for a solid entry path into the legal vocation, wish to eventually attend law school, or just want a challenging job with long-term stability, paralegal certificate or degree programs at area legal trade schools can set you on your way.

Paralegal Schools Flourish in Iowa
A paralegal with a certificate from a legal trade school is typically employed by law offices, government agencies, or corporations to work under direct supervision of a lawyer. Paralegals may be asked to help conduct depositions (interviewing clients), perform in-depth legal research, or prepare and transmit formal documents including briefs, motions, and tax documents.

In Iowa, you'll find trade schools offering comprehensive paralegal training programs in Des Moines, Cedar Falls, Mason City, Davenport, and other communities. Classes are extensive. You'll need to know paralegal procedures and processes used in both corporate and litigation-based law offices. Most vocational schools offering paralegal training will also introduce you to standardized legal terms, record keeping, and computer software programs used to compose legal documents.

About Paralegal Employment in Iowa
According to Salary.com, entry-level salaries for paralegals in Iowa vary by municipality. The median Cedar Falls wage for paralegals entering the profession is $38,000 per year, with a top end at $44,000. In Des Moines, legal trade school graduates enter the paralegal workplace at a median annual wage of $40,700, rising to an initial wage of $47,300. Cedar Rapids entry-level annual median wages for paralegals hover at $41,100, up to $47,800.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 200,000 paralegals worked throughout the nation in 2002. The BLS reported that seven of every 10 paralegals were employed at private law offices, with the remainder working at federal, state, and local governments or in corporate legal departments. The large national rise in paralegal openings through 2012, the BLS predicts, will be caused as more and more legal offices turn their overall workload over to qualified paralegals.

Source
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

About the Author
Gabby Hyman has created online strategies and written content for Fortune 500 companies including eToys, GoTo.com, Siebel Systems, Microsoft Encarta, Avaya, and Nissan UK.