Occupational Report -- Paralegal the Research Paper

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Nationally, it ranges from the mid-thirty-thousand dollar range to more than twice that amount with a national average of approximately $46,000 (BLS, 2008). Naturally, the highest salaries are available to paralegals and legal assistants who have achieved professional certifications, since there are only approximately 15,000 certified paralegals out of more than one quarter million professionals in the field (BLS, 2008). Additional vocational benefits are similar to other fulltime professional positions in the private sector or in government positions, as the case may be. The U.S. federal government employs thousands of paralegals, with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Social Security Administration (SSA), and the U.S. Department of the Treasury (DOT or "USTREAS") being the largest employers of paralegals by agency (Damp, 2007).

The paralegal profession is one that I might consider pursuing for several reasons. First, it is a profession with considerable growth potential at a time when most other industries are cutting back on positions as a consequence of the ongoing economic recession. Second, paralegals earn a relatively high salary in comparison to the requirements for entering white-collar professions with similar benefits. While there are other professions that offer similar salaries and benefits, most of those within white-collar occupations require more advanced training and those within traditionally blue-collar industries involve considerably less pleasant and safe vocational environments.

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The fact that certification is available to those who wish to advance within the field but not necessarily required as a prerequisite to enter the profession appears to be another advantage over similar occupations because one would not have to invest the time and effort to obtain certification just to explore the field to determine whether or not it is a long-term professional interest. I would hope to be able to enter the field based on my college degree and then consider formal certification later, after having first experienced working in the field first hand.

On the other hand, my reservations about entering the field are that there may be limited possibilities for advancement because of the formal distinction between paralegals and attorneys. The fact that relatively few paralegals are certified suggests that there might be considerable competition for the top positions. Still, the profession might be a good opportunity to consider whether or not to apply to law schools to become an attorney as well......

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"Occupational Report -- Paralegal The", 26 February 2012, Accessed.5 June. 2026,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/occupational-report-paralegal-54545