Chapter One You’re Hired: Types of Companies That Hire Paralegals According to the United States Department of Labor, seven of ten paralegals work for law firms while the rest work for an array of companies, including: Private law firms Insurance companies Banks Real estate agencies Accounting firms Government agencies Engineering firms Construction companies Title companies Legal aid organizations Indeed, any company that has legal needs is a potential employer for a paralegal, and there are some paralegals who strike out and start their own businesses (which we’ll discuss how to do later in this ebook) while others freelance their paralegal services instead of seeking permanent, full-time work. Job Explosion Employment opportunities for paralegals are expected to rise by more than 27 percent through 2014 for several reasons. First, more companies are turning to paralegals, rather than lawyers, to cut their costs. Second, as paralegals leave the field for other careers, more job openings will be created. Despite the rise of job openings for paralegals over the next eight years, there is no concern of a shortage of paralegals, meaning that the field will remain competitive. According to the American Association for Paralegal Education, there are approximately 120,000 paralegals working in the United States today. The U.S. Department of Labor puts that number at 224,000 jobs. Salary Expectations What you can expect to earn as a paralegal largely depends on where you work. Of course, other factors are also taken into consideration including education, experience, where you live, and the size and type of your employer. The U.S. Department of Labor reported, in 2006, that its latest salary survey, conducted in the spring of 2004, found that the median salary for paralegals in the United States was $39,130. Next: Chapter One: Advancement opportunities and reasons to consider a paralegal career Previous: Chapter One: Ethical Considerations and what you cannot do as a paralegal Table of Contents for the Paralegal Career Guide: Introduction Chapter One The Paralegal: an overview Responsibilities Ethical Considerations and what you cannot do as a paralegal You’re Hired: types of companies that hire paralegals Advancement opportunities and reasons to consider a paralegal career Advantages and disadvantages of the paralegal career Chapter Two Getting your paralegal education – recipe for success Chapter Three Tips for choosing the best paralegal program What about online paralegal programs? Correspondence courses WARNING: Red flags to look for Costs of becoming a paralegal Chapter Four Paralegal Certification: is it really necessary? Eligibility and Test Dates 2008 Chapter Five Make your work from home dreams come true Control your career: starting your own paralegal business Required equipment Chapter Six Tips for marketing your paralegal business Chapter Seven Conclusion and Resource List Paralegal Career Guide - Details on Becoming a Paralegal Email | Privacy Policy | Related Resources Read some of our other guides: Medical Coding Career Guide - Details on becoming a Medical Coder © 2007 - 2008 Career Guide Publishing - All rights reserved. Please note: Anyone caught selling illegal copies of the Paralegal Career Guide or using our copyrighted text or images will be dealt with to the full extent of the law. In addition to legal action, we will report copyright infringers to their billing company, hosting company, domain registrar, any companies they are advertising for or affiliating for and to the search engines citing the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA).