Legal jobs are expected to grow over the next decade. While lawyer jobs require many years of training, other jobs can be had in the legal field with a bachelor's degree or less training. Job growth is anticipated to be even greater for these jobs. Here is a look at some of the occupations in the legal field.
Lawyer
A lawyer can be self employed or be hired by a law firm. Nearly 26 percent of lawyers are self employed. This job requires a four year college degree followed by law school that takes a minimum of another three years. After that, lawyers must pas a bar examination to practice. Competition for entry into law school is stiff and competition for available jobs is usually intense as many new lawyers graduate from law school each year. Nonetheless, the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects this occupation to grow at an average rate over the next decade.
Paralegal
Paralegal or legal assistant jobs are among the fastest growing jobs and are expected to continue their phenomenal growth for the next several years. This is because many companies are trying to cut costs and hire paralegals rather than lawyers. Training for these legal jobs involves certificate programs, associate degree programs or bachelor's degrees. The best trained and educated paralegals have the most favorable job opportunities. Currently around 71 percent of legal assistant jobs are for law firms.
Law Clerks
Law clerks research, file, and prepare legal documents. They may work for legal firms or the court. These legal jobs can involve assisting clients, judges, and lawyers. Law clerks may have bachelor's degrees or hold certifications. Salary depends upon the extent of the job duties.
Legal Secretary
Legal secretaries perform job duties similar to that of any other administrative assistant except due to the specialization of the job, related training is required. They must understand the procedures and technical terminology associated with the legal profession. These jobs may require preparing legal papers and reviewing legal journals. Legal secretary jobs are expected to have average growth over the next decade as these jobs tend to have the highest level of turn over in the legal profession.
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