Hiring Paralegals and Legal Assistants

What to Expect

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Via OOH: One of a paralegal’s most important tasks is helping lawyers prepare for closings, hearings, trials, and corporate meetings. Paralegals might investigate the facts of cases and ensure that all relevant information is considered. They also identify appropriate laws, judicial decisions, legal articles, and other materials that are relevant to assigned cases.

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After they analyze and organize the information, paralegals may prepare written reports that attorneys use in determining how cases should be handled. If attorneys decide to file lawsuits on behalf of clients, paralegals may help prepare the legal arguments, draft pleadings and motions to be filed with the court, obtain affidavits, and assist attorneys during trials.

Paralegals also organize and track files of all important case documents and make them available and easily accessible to attorneys.

What to Pay

The paralegal with an impressive portfolio of work should earn about $23.87 an hour¹.  That’s an hourly savings of $7.23 compared to the paralegal who is hired as a full-time employee with benefits².

¹Based on 2010 national estimates for this occupation (via U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.)
²Based on a total compensation cost of 30.3% (via EBRI.)

External Resources:

1. Hire With Your Head : A Rational Way to Make a Gut Decision
2. The Fast Forward MBA in Hiring: Finding and Keeping the Best
3. Secrets of Hiring Top Talent