The Myths and Facts About Paralegal Careers

The paralegal industry is one of the fastest growing professions today. In Washington, D.C. alone there are over 40,000 attorneys, most of whom have 2-3 paralegals each. Paralegals play a vital role in the legal field acting as a liaison between attorney and client.

As popular as this growing career field is, there are some common myths and misconceptions about careers as paralegals. Here are 10 common myths and the realities behind them.

Myth #1: Every case is going to be just like on Law & Order

The reality is: Unless you work for a large firm in a major city, most cases are not headline news. Many law firms offer a wide array of legal expertise that does not require chasing down bad guys and dragging them into court. Most cases deal with real estate, social security, probate, and personal injury cases which most often do not require a court appearance. Cases on television are for the most part fiction. With television you can have a crime, a high speed chase, a search and seizure, a trial and a verdict all in one hour. Real life never happens this way. Television actors have the advantage of a script to help them along. If television portrayed what really goes on in a case over several months, no one would watch.

Myth #2: You must have a certification, law degree or license to be a paralegal

The reality is: The paralegal certificate, degree or license versus no certificate, degree or license argument has been around for years; and as the paralegal profession continues to grow as one of Americas fastest growing job opportunities, it will continued to be argued.

There are some advantages to both having a degree or certificate as opposed to not having either. Ultimately the choice is up to the paralegal and potential employer.