Paralegal Studies

 

Career and Major Information
Earnings
Related Occupations
Related Web Sites

 

Career and Major Information:

Walters State's two-year concentration in Paralegal Studies is designed to prepare successful graduates for entry-level employment opportunities as paralegals or legal assistants.  The primary duty of the paralegal is to prepare or assist in the preparation of legal documents or presentations.  Other duties will be based on the specific law-related business.  For example, a legal assistant who works for a law firm may help the attorney prepare for a case by researching facts, drafting legal documents, or identifying relevant laws or judicial decisions.  A paralegal working for a corporation may draft contracts, shareholder agreements, or monitor government regulations that pertain to the company. 

Paralegals are found in all types of organizations and may also work for the local, state, or federal government.

Some paralegals train on the job, but more and more employers require a minimum of an associate degree.  Faster than average growth is expected through 2012.

 

Earnings:

The Tennessee Career Information Delivery System website lists the salary range for a beginning-level position in this field in Tennessee as $24,060 to $28,190 annually.  With experience, the range increases to $32,710 to $47,670.  The national average is higher by about $1,000 per year.  Salary figures quoted are based on national figures. Local or regional salaries may be lower.

 

Related Occupations:

Law Clerk

Title Examiner

Abstractor and Searcher

Claims Adjuster

 

Related Web Sites:

Standing Committee on Legal Assistants, American Bar Association

            http://www.abanet.org/

 

National Association of Legal Assistants

            http://www.nala.org/

 

National Federation of Paralegal Associations

http://www.paralegals.org/

 

American Association for Paralegal Education

            http://www.aafpe.org/

 

Much of the above information was collected from the 2004-2005 Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the U.S. Department of Labor.  For additional information on these and many other careers, please visit the following web sites:

 

Occupational Outlook Handbook - U.S. Department of Labor

http://www.bls.gov/oco/

 

Tennessee Career Information Delivery System (TCIDS)

http://tcids.tbr.edu/.

 

 

For information regarding specific degree program requirements, curriculum, or faculty, please see the department website at http://www.ws.edu/businessdiv/default.asp.