Employment Outlook

What are employment prospects and salaries for paralegals?

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Generally, large firms with 15 or more attorneys and small firms with 1-5 lawyers utilize paralegals. With the advent of greater support by the Bar for the utilization of paralegals, coupled with an increasing level of education and professionalization of paralegals, employment opportunities for paralegals continue to grow at a rate faster than the average. Now law firms are competing with banks, utilities, HMO's, insurance companies, and corporations for professional trained and well-educated paralegals. Recent surveys indicate paralegals with one to three years of experience earn $22,000 to $28,000; those with 15 or more years of experience earn $35,000 to more than $45,000.