How much does a Paralegal get paid

[angela256z]

So I attend the University of Phoenix (when I can pay for it) and I asked them about Paralegal courses. They have an online school that I can take their Masters Paralegal Certification course and two Immigration Law Courses and get all my credits transferred to my BA at the University Of Phoenix. The bad thing is this online school does not accept Financial aid. So I would have to get a payment plan with them on a loan....Now of course my question is what do they average in pay is it worth a $10,000 course?

[ARodrigues]

I took mine through University of North Florida and paid half that. The ironic thing is, it is not approved by the bar, so I have to take additional classes. The community college here now offers one that IS approved through the bar, and is right around 4,000.00.

As an uncertified real estate paralegal, I earned about 46,000.00 (before my recent layoff). Litigration paralegals earn more. Check a salary calculator online for your particular area. You might also check www.nala.org to see approved schools under the bar, even though the program certificate is good enough for most firms.

[angela256z]

That is about what I make now in my job. I have looked everywhere for a Paralegal training in Seattle and all I get is online stuff or Legal Assistant. I guess I could keep looking. The $10,000 one included two course in Immigration law that goes into great detail about the laws and the papers that need to be filed and it listed a lot of the basic ones that most of us are using.

[ARodrigues]

Legal Assisting is that same thing. They just called them paralegals because they felt that "legal assistant" didn't sound imprtant enough. They have the same credentials and certifications. What I know in researching openings with immigration firms is that its not a huge area of law in cities where there aren't many immigrants. I live in jacksonville, FL, and we have 1 attorney in my city who is listed with AILA, even though several advertise as "immigration attorneys". (Like that one I interviewed with last week..)

:bleh:

[TracyTN]

I would SO love to work for an immigration attorney, but I kinda dread the thought of having to go back to school.

[ARodrigues]

I actually just was encouraging my mom to go take up legal assisting earlier today...

[angela256z]

I actually just was encouraging my mom to go take up legal assisting earlier today...

She should. It is the reason that I started my BA in Business and then I was going to move into Paralegal, but it's so hard to find a school that has the classes. We have a lot of immigration attorneys here in Seattle. I know about 4 offices that are strickly Immigration. I may just work in the legal department in my current job too, but I would rather do immigration since I have been working with people on different aspects of it for four years now.

I would SO love to work for an immigration attorney, but I kinda dread the thought of having to go back to school.

I only go to school for about a year at a time. Then I break and go back.

[angela256z]

I took mine through University of North Florida and paid half that. The ironic thing is, it is not approved by the bar, so I have to take additional classes. The community college here now offers one that IS approved through the bar, and is right around 4,000.00.

As an uncertified real estate paralegal, I earned about 46,000.00 (before my recent layoff). Litigration paralegals earn more. Check a salary calculator online for your particular area. You might also check www.nala.org to see approved schools under the bar, even though the program certificate is good enough for most firms.

I can't find the section on nala.org to see if the school qualifies. I will look at my local community college, but what I like about this one is I can take those course on immigration law.

[ARodrigues]

even if you're school doesn't qualify under the bar in itself, a minimum number of credits can qualify you to sit for the CLA exam, too. There are a couple of different ways to qualify. Liek I say, since I've been job hunting lately, it appears that firms are ok with the school certification, even if you haven't yet sat for the exam.

[corazoncita]

OK... I have 7 semesters of full-time school under my belt; (major music/minor french/ all gen ed finished) I need somewhere betwee 35-40 credit hours to graduate. How long do you think it would take to be a certified paralegal? I am going back in the spring to take Spanish classes... I eventually want to be a certified translator. There is a great program at the community college closest to my house.

[ARodrigues]

Here you go!

http://www.nala.org/cert.htm#The%20Examination%20-%20Eligibility%20Requirements

[Klame1983]

Ok. So I have some info that might be helpful to some of you. I'm a legal assistant at an immigration law firm, but this firm doesn't hire "paralegals" because they do not want people that don't have a bachelor's degree. To work at my job as a legal assistant, you must have a bachelor's degree (doesn't matter in what). Many legal assistants at this firm even have a master's degree.

I would advise to get a bachelor's degree and not bother with paralegal studies or programs because most large immigration law firms are not drawn to those type of candidates.

If you find a stable, prestigous law firm, as an immigration legal assistant you can make between $35K-$50K. At least in my area you can.

[corazoncita]

Hmmm... I wonder what it would take to get my degree switched, though. I have TONS of music credits. Those don't have anything to do with legal studies... I guess I could see if there is a way to "invent" a major just so that I could have a degree. They made one up for my friend and called it "liberal studies."

I know my Spanish credits will count toward my original degree as electives. I can't really major anymore, because you can't really take music classes on line. You kinda have to be there in person. Also, the college I went to is a liberal arts private school, and it's $27,000 a year. There is no way I could afford that, and I had problems with financial aid there, which is why I wasn't able to finish. I will have to look around and see what programs there are.

Maybe I will just try to be a certified translator and stick with mortgages! :)

[TracyTN]

Ok. So I have some info that might be helpful to some of you. I'm a legal assistant at an immigration law firm, but this firm doesn't hire "paralegals" because they do not want people that don't have a bachelor's degree. To work at my job as a legal assistant, you must have a bachelor's degree (doesn't matter in what). Many legal assistants at this firm even have a master's degree.

I would advise to get a bachelor's degree and not bother with paralegal studies or programs because most large immigration law firms are not drawn to those type of candidates.

If you find a stable, prestigous law firm, as an immigration legal assistant you can make between $35K-$50K. At least in my area you can.

That's wonderful to know - thank you! I have a master's so maybe someone will take me on without the paralegal thing. :)

[Klame1983]

That's wonderful to know - thank you! I have a master's so maybe someone will take me on without the paralegal thing. :)

You're welcome! If there's anything I can do to help, please let me know. Also, there's some legal assistants at my firm that have law degrees, but for some reason didn't pass the bar exam. It's a really fascinating career! Maybe you should look into it.

[ratito921]

anyone know of a decent priced school I can get a real degree with online. I know some schools offer "degree" programs but they're not recognized by many. We have a community college here I'm going to start classes at in the winter semester, but I don't have time to go sit in class all day, especially when I work nights and I'm just burnt out.

any suggestions?

[TracyTN]

You're welcome! If there's anything I can do to help, please let me know. Also, there's some legal assistants at my firm that have law degrees, but for some reason didn't pass the bar exam. It's a really fascinating career! Maybe you should look into it.

Oh I definitely want to. I just figure part of it is 'who you know', and it would be hard to get your foot in the door.

Having a friend who is an attorney helps me some. I'm definitely going to ask her about it - she mentioned that an attorney friend of hers was just 'told' he should get into immigration law (who 'told' him that, I dunno), and she mentioned me to him. I guess that's as good a place as any to start.

There don't appear to be any job postings of that sort out there in my area (at least not on Monster and Hot Jobs).

[Ms_Delacruz]

Hello Ladies,
I was just reading up on your entries about the Certifired Paralegal Program. I live in California.... and here we do ahve amnay school that offer PAralegal classes, unfortunately not all of the school are Certified Approved school which sucks because then the people that have taken most of their courses trheir cannot transfer any classes to an ABA Approved Program, Luckly I dis some research before starting the program and found that there are 2 colleges in my area that are ABA Approved. I am almost done with my Certificatea and AA.. since these programs *require you to have your AA also in order to receive your Certificate. But I am very disappointed the the legal profesion. The firm I work for does Litigation and its a very hectic environment , that I really need to changes jobs. Im just not happy there. I have consulted with many people and they say many firms have politics either way you look at it. So who knows... I have some great leads (interviews) next week, so lets hope I get a winner.

As far as pay wise and certificate goes: I've seen that many firms do not neccessarily look at the Paralegal Certificate (which sucks).. they are more looking for someone with yrs of experience because they have no time to trian. This makes me angry because this country tells us time and time again, THAT EDUCATION IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS..... not in the leagl field. Im sure bigger company do requiere the Certificate as a *requirement, but the smaller ones dont. They're just looking to fill a vacancy, you know.

Here where I live, there are some Immigration firm, they not the best since I have been researching many,a nd it seems the ladies in this forum know WAY more about the Immigration process than they do......

[ARodrigues]

You'll see alot of times that they do care more about experience because certified paralegals are a relatively new thing. A paralegal used to just be a secretary that had been around long enough..

[angela256z]

I am still trying to figure out if the Washingotn online learning institute is ABA approved. I think they are because they talk about being licensed, accredited and able to take the CLE exam (I think that was the name of it)

[angela256z]

Maybe not. I will call them on Monday I guess

[Laurel Scott]

Immigration law is not the most lucrative area of law, especially if you're doing family immigration. Immigration lawyers make less than their counterparts in tort (personal injury) and corporate law. Its the same for paralegals or legal assstants. Many firms in Houston pay attorneys around $40,000 for the less experienced and $60,000 to $75,000 for the somewhat more experienced. An inexperienced paralegal in immigration might make $25,000 to $30,000. A more experienced paralegal will make more. File clerks start at around $8 per hour.

[angela256z]

Thanks I did find out about the immigration law being paid a bit less. Here in WA there is a firm and the paralegal gets paid 42,000 and has worked in the field for two years. He said that WA is a high paying area because we have the nations highest minimum wage or one of the highest. He is also getting paid as their translator. I found out there are two colleges here that are approved by the ABA. If I go to the Norhtern school then I can take spanish as elective. I will also learn business, family, litigation and a few other areas. All the credit transfer to my university right into my BA in Business Administration so this on one of the reasons I thought about doing, plus my job will pay $2000 a year in tuition and I could work in a legal position there and they start at 40,000. So this is my plan, but of course AFTER my hubby and I are done with immigration. This process is what made me stop going to school in the first place. I was 1.5 years into my BA. Thanks for all the information!!

[Laurel Scott]

It is possible for a highly qualified immigration paralegal to be paid $40K in an area with high wages for similar occupations. I pay my paralegal about that well (pro-rated to part-time) because at this point she's exceptionally qualified to draft waiver briefs, but I didn't start her off at that salary.

[angela256z]

Yes I know that I would start at a lower pay scale, which when i think about it at times I don't mind. I am in such a high tax cracket right now that I get taxed 33% on my checks as a single "CRAZY". Most of my friends are only taxed 15%, but we will see. I just want to finish my degree and I might as well take classes I am interested in. At the UOP they pick your schedule for you and I did not like my Mythology class.