The success of legal teams depends on paralegals, and their responsibilities are growing. Paralegals today are in charge of supporting everything from contracts, patent filings, regulatory matters, trial preparation, and eDiscovery projects to legal research. If you work remotely or in the office, this creates a world of professional development opportunities for you to advance your paralegal career.
- Online Networking. …
- Join local and national paralegal organizations. …
- Volunteer. …
- Read blogs, articles, and case summaries. …
- CLE materials. …
- Move to another city. …
- Change industries.
Reasons to advance in your career as a paralegal
Many industries’ workers aspire to hold senior positions in their industry Here are some causes for paralegal career advancement:
What is a paralegal?
An attorney who performs specialized legal services for a law firm, corporate legal department, government agency, or other business is known as a paralegal. Depending on their position and employer, they provide various forms of support to admitted lawyers and other members of the legal profession. In order to research and prepare court casework, those in this position also cooperate with other paralegals and legal assistants. They might manage cases, conduct research, prepare legal documents, meet with clients, witnesses, and court staff, among other things. Some paralegals work in specific concentrations like:
How to advance your career from paralegal
Here are eight steps for taking your paralegal career further:
1. Optimize your work performance
It’s critical that you can successfully carry out your current job duties before considering career advancement. Verify that you consistently meet supervisor and client expectations, work well with colleagues, make good use of your time, and handle casework effectively. Make sure you’re working quickly to complete tasks like case document preparation, research, and other tasks on time and by the deadline. You might measure and examine performance and productivity metrics like:
If you’re unsure of how you’re performing at work, think about asking a manager or HR representative for feedback on your actions. They could offer an objective assessment of your work ethic, skills, and success. Additionally, you could demonstrate your consideration, professionalism, and dedication to learning by requesting criticism and suggestions for improvement. This can demonstrate your enthusiasm for the position and leave a good impression on your coworkers and superiors.
2. Participate in training opportunities
Many businesses offer their employees opportunities for professional development and training. These could entail developing abilities like teamwork, leadership, or even software expertise. If you’re interested in finding out if there are any courses, study materials, or programs available to you, think about asking your supervisor or the HR department.
3. Earn certifications
Building your resume, improving your skills, and impressing potential employers can all be accomplished by obtaining certifications, degrees, and other professional credentials in the legal industry. In order to demonstrate your proficiency in a particular subject, certification programs typically require you to enroll in and pass an exam. When you learn about a subject in a classroom setting, you can ask questions, get help, and effectively retain the information for the future.
4. Join professional organizations
Joining a legal professional organization can help you network with colleagues, make lasting friendships, and discover job opportunities. Professional organizations frequently offer their members a variety of advantages, including free educational materials, conferences, and networking opportunities. You could also join a social media professional group to network with others and look for job opportunities.
5. Find a mentor
A mentor is an experienced professional who can impart their knowledge, offer advice, and inspire you as you pursue your career. Look for a seasoned expert who motivates you, and ask them to be your mentor. Your mentor might be a lawyer or a senior employee at your law firm. A mentor may also be located at a networking event for professionals.
6. Set SMART goals
Setting goals can be a great way to increase your drive to overcome obstacles, direct your efforts, and achieve your objectives. Choose a career path based on your interests that might be advantageous for you. Always keep your needs in mind when evaluating aspects of a job like the pay and benefits, the location, and the schedule. After that, you can create a SMART goal and a strategy for achieving it. Make sure its specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based.
7. Build your resume
Gaining the necessary knowledge and expertise to qualify for higher-level positions in the legal profession can take some time. It’s advantageous to practice patience, concentrate on developing a solid work ethic, and seize opportunities as they present themselves. Update and revise your resume to reflect your professional qualifications as you gain work experience, develop skills, earn certifications, and complete tasks in your career. Additionally, you can make different resumes to highlight various skills. Updating your professional documents, such as your resume, can make it simpler for you to later apply for high-level positions.
8. Apply for jobs
Look for jobs online that match your qualifications, experience level, and skill set. You could save job openings you qualify for to a spreadsheet to keep them organized after you find them. Before sending your application materials to the employer, customize your resume, cover letter, and other documents. This demonstrates your specific interest in the position and can help you stand out as a candidate.
Higher-level positions for paralegals
A legal secretary’s main responsibilities include assisting lawyers, legal executives, and law firm administrative staff with administrative and clerical tasks. Their objective is to maintain an office that is productive and efficient so that their supervisors can concentrate on offering excellent legal services and resolving challenging client issues. They could carry out billing duties like creating, processing, and sending client invoices. Additionally, they might engage in social media marketing, which involves highlighting the reputation and pursuits of attorneys on online forums and business websites.
Primary responsibilities: A law clerk typically provides supportive services to a lawyer, judge, or other advanced legal professional. People in this position carry out operational and administrative tasks to assist their superiors in winning cases or to ensure that law offices and courts run smoothly. To determine the options available in a case, these experts may research legal procedures. In order to gather basic background information on a case scenario, they may also conduct field investigations such as client and witness interviews and other types of investigation. To become a lawyer or judge, law clerks frequently look for training and mentoring.
A policy analyst’s main responsibilities include identifying public issues and conducting research to create policy solutions. They use a variety of techniques, including surveys, polls, interviews, and statistical analysis, to gather a lot of data from reliable sources. After reviewing, assessing, and summarizing their findings, policy analysts derive practical conclusions. They then provide legislators, government officials, and interest groups with well-informed advice on how to address policy challenges. They might concentrate on matters like labor laws, environmental protection, or equality.
A judge’s main responsibilities include presiding over a court of law and determining the outcome of a case. People in this position have in-depth knowledge of local, state, and federal laws as well as other legal codes and regulations. They are in charge of gathering information about a case’s facts, managing courtroom activities and staff, listening to arguments from the plaintiff, defendant, and attorneys, and announcing the case’s resolution.
An attorney’s main responsibilities include representing a client in court as well as other legal matters. These experts conduct research, examine a client’s case, and present their cases to judges and juries. They frequently work together to create agreements and contracts between clients with the opposing counsel. There are many different types of lawyers, each with a different area of expertise, such as family law, tax law, civil law, or criminal law.
Tips for advancing your career
Here are some tips for advancing in your career successfully:
Paralegal Certification | Suggestions From a Paralegal Coach
FAQ
What comes after being a paralegal?
Within a law firm, paralegals can also obtain the title of paralegal manager. Many students choose to work as paralegals as their first step into a legal career; for some paralegals, going to law school and becoming an attorney is a logical next step.
What types of paralegals make the most money?
- Paralegal Manager. $104,775. …
- Legal Project Manager. $87,375. …
- Intellectual Property Paralegal. $86,800. …
- Nurse Paralegal. $82,687. …
- Employment and Labor Law Paralegal. $80,685. …
- Government Paralegal. $78,478. …
- Senior Paralegal. $69,995. …
- Corporate Paralegal. $66,134.
What type of paralegal is most in demand?
- Bankruptcy Paralegal. …
- Family Law Paralegal. …
- Intellectual Property Paralegal. …
- Litigation Paralegal. …
- Real Estate Paralegal. …
- Immigration Paralegal. …
- Personal Injury Paralegal. …
- Take the First Step to Becoming a Paralegal in California.
How much does a paralegal make at a top firm?
Salary by Paralegal Type According to the U. S. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for paralegals and legal assistants in 2019 was $51,740. The highest 10% earned more than $82,000.
