When people think about the legal profession, the first thing that comes to mind is the judges and the lawyers. Little is known about another massive career known as paralegals. Given how the image of the lawyer and judge has been portrayed in pop culture, they are often seen as the pinnacle of the legal profession. However, behind all the work that goes into questioning witnesses, uncovering evidence and coming up with strategy is the paralegal.
Basically, this is a legal assistant whose primary role is to support lawyers by providing a wide range of legal services. During legal matters, these paralegals have a huge role to play because they prepare court documents, interview clients, do proper research and find out various things about the ongoing case. Without the efforts of the paralegal, lawyers would be so swamped in the paperwork they would find enough resources to represent their clients well. If you have been thinking about taking paralegal courses Toronto, then here are a few reasons why you should go ahead with it:
Paralegal pay
According to trend analyzers, the median salary for paralegals has increased by 38% in recent years. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the median wage for a paralegal is about $50,410. Despite shifting economic times, the salary in this profession is remaining resilient.
What’s more, most legal firms pay out bonuses at one time or another through the year. A paralegal who has been on top of their game through the year can also expect a healthy bonus as a sign of appreciation. Most paralegals then work their way up the food chain to get better terms in terms of remuneration.
Demand and growth
Becoming a highly skilled and experienced paralegal opens up a lot of opportunities and job prospects in a lot of sectors including government, real estate, technology, and even corporate law firms. According to CNN Money Magazine, the paralegal job is seen as one of the top 50 professions in the US. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicates that they estimate demand in this area will increase by 15% between now and 2026. This number is almost twice those of lawyers. By increasing the revenues of a law firm, paralegals are key in how these businesses make money and for that reason will not go out of demand any time soon.
Better Flexibility
Unlike the other areas of the legal profession, paralegals have more freedom when it comes to what they specialize in. Since a lot of the paralegal’s job revolves around research, they can follow their interests and gain additional skills that aid in said areas. During training, paralegals are exposed to a tough but all round core curriculum together with having various options regarding elective classes. These classes help the paralegal sharpen their skills in even more areas of the law giving them a kind of superior advantage. A properly trained paralegal with the knowledge and experience can focus on any law and add up on the already existing skill-set.
Conclusion
The paralegal profession is a good one. Albeit competitive, it’s great as a career in itself and also as a stepping stone to other fields.