Paralegals and legal assistants are finding new positions in law offices throughout Utah. Here's how you can get career training for this exciting profession.

By Gabby Hyman
RWM Columnist
March 08, 2007

Paralegals and legal assistants comprise one of the fastest-growing vocations in the country. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that paralegal jobs will grow faster than the national average through the end of the decade. Here in Utah, paralegal and legal assisting programs are available at campuses in Salt Lake City and neighboring communities, speeding you into the field with the skills you need.

Legal trade schools provide up-to-date training, incorporating recent changes in legal procedure and practice into their curriculum while preparing students for entry-level jobs and national certification tests. By the time they graduate, paralegal students have a solid handle on court research, depositions, court filings, litigation and dispute mediation, immigration laws, corporate and employment laws, estate, trust and inheritance issues, tax laws, and laws governing intellectual property.

Paralegal students can also learn practical skills in effective communication with clients, personal injury law, bankruptcy, criminal procedure, legal ethics, contracts, property deeds, stocks and shareholder issues, and wills.

Working as a Paralegal in Utah
The BLS reports that two-thirds of working paralegals are employed by public or private law firms. Others find work with local, regional and national courts and agencies, including U.S. Department of Justice, the Social Security Administration, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Typically, people entering the profession hold at least an associate's degree or certification in paralegal studies. Formerly trained paralegals, the BLS says, will have the best opportunities for the growing number of openings.

In the Salt Lake-Murray area, according to Salary.com, entry-level paralegals and Utah legal assistants can expect to earn between $48,526 and $54,793 per year, depending on their employers and their qualifications. After eight years in the field, Salt Lake-area paralegals earn on the average between $56,500 and $84,290.

Once they're in the trade, paralegals can increase earning power by passing the Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam, conducted by the National Federation of Paralegal Associations. The test measures factual legal research and writing, administration and development of client legal matters, and office administration skills.

Sources

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Paralegals and Legal Assistants"
• Salary.com

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.