Careers 101: Paralegal Jobs in California

Published on 2008-05-27

Schools:

According to the National Federation of Paralegal Associations, a paralegal is a person "qualified through education, training or work experience to perform substantive legal work that requires knowledge of legal concepts and is customarily, but not exclusively, performed by a lawyer." A person can take one of several educational paths to become qualified for paralegal jobs in California. These include earning an associate's or bachelor's degree in paralegal studies or earning a certificate in paralegal studies. Paralegal degrees and certificates can be obtained from community colleges, universities and online schools throughout California, which is the only state in the U.S. to pass legislation setting out certification requirements for paralegals.

Employers:

The job market for paralegals in California is expected to show dramatic growth as more companies and law firms seek to cut costs by having paralegals and legal assistants take on work traditionally handled by attorneys. If that makes the paralegal profession sound like a thankless one, it definitely can be. However, paralegal experience can be a good first step toward pursuing a law degree and going after higher paying California attorney jobs.