The Different Types Of Paralegal Careers

If you’ve always wanted to be part of the legal industry but can’t imagine yourself going to law school, a career as a paralegal may be a good choice for you. Specializing in paralegal jobs will open the doors to job positions that interest you the most.

Each state has different requirements, and we encourage each student to research those, but after completing the required education, paralegals can work in numerous fields.

7 Types Of Paralegals

1. Corporate Paralegal

As a corporate paralegal, you won’t work with clients in your day-to-day job. You may interact with clients on occasion, but you’ll work primarily for the organization to ensure that the corporation adheres to State and Federal law.

Your job is to double-check a business’s activities to verify that they’re working in the confines of the law. As a corporate paralegal, you’ll work behind the scenes and must be a research-driven individual who pays attention to detail and can work for the good of the business.

2. Family Law

If you want to work with an attorney, a job as a family law paralegal may be the right option for you. These professionals help with custody disputes and are often responsible for some or all of the following:

  • • Preparation of legal pleadings
  • • File organization 
  • • Drafting correspondence to courts, attorneys, or clients
  • • Sending files

You’ll work closely with clients and will be responsible for keeping them informed on the direction of their proceedings. Since family law can be complex and filled with emotions, you’ll need to have patience and empathy when working as a family law paralegal.

3. Estate Planning Paralegal

Estate planning and probate is another area of law that is highly reliant on the skills of a paralegal. These delicate situations require you to have a keen eye for detail and be a master of numbers.

You’ll have a lot of responsibilities in this position and will work with clients on a multitude of estate planning tasks, such as:

  • • Drafting wills
  • • Estate planning
  • • Probate pleadings
  • • Distribution of property

You may be responsible for recording deeds or managing a client’s inheritance taxes. As an estate planning paralegal, you’ll deal with clients daily and have to fill out a lot of paperwork. However, if you like working with clients, this is an in-demand specialty that you may want to consider.

4. Immigration Paralegal

Do you have a passion for helping people with immigration issues? If so, you may find a position in a corporation or law firm specializing in immigration. Your job duties will be similar to many of the types of paralegals that we’ve already discussed, but they will be geared towards immigration.

For example, your duties may include:

  • • Visa application assistance
  • • Petitioning the government
  • • Speaking more than one language
  • • Organizing and sending files

Immigration is a very fast-paced specialization with a lot of emotions involved. If you can handle long workdays and working in a high-stress environment, this may be a specialization that is ideal for you.

5. Government Paralegal

A government paralegal works in the same capacity as most paralegals, but these individuals work for the government on a local, state, or federal level. You may be part of one of the numerous government branches, and you may be responsible for:

  • • Assisting city attorneys
  • • Assisting public defenders
  • • Community outreach
  • • Legal aid assistance

Government paralegals benefit from extreme job security, but you’ll also have to maintain extreme attention to detail and be able to work under immense pressure.

6. Litigation Paralegal

Litigation paralegals have a career that sees them working in a multitude of specialties. You may find yourself helping clients through bankruptcy or personal injury the next day. The specialty is known for its fast-paced and stressful nature. As a litigation paralegal, you’ll be in charge of case management, interviewing witnesses, overseeing discovery, and more.

In the litigation specialty, you may also find yourself in the courtroom often. This is the one type of paralegal that has to maintain very high energy and stamina to get through each day.

7. Real Estate Paralegal

These professionals often help with the paperwork portion of real estate purchases and sales.

Your responsibilities will also include:

  • • Going to court
  • • Coordinating schedules
  • • Sending files
  • • Maintaining deadlines
  • • Corresponding with multiple parties

If you want to stand out even further as a real estate paralegal, consider getting your real estate license, which will help you be high in demand in the industry.

Paralegal jobs are in high demand, and the above are just a few of the positions you may want to specialize in. You’ll find plenty of other opportunities to use your skills as a paralegal to enter the law or business fields.

Enrollment

Washington Technical Institute’s self-paced, fully online Paralegal Certificates can be completed in 12 months or fewer, with daily start dates. Such flexible start dates makes this program unique and much more accessible for our students. An additional benefit of WTI’s programs is that we offer affordable pricing and monthly payments to help our students leave school without debt. 

Although our goal is to help our students graduate from their programs with little to no debt, we also recognize that some students might need to utilize a loan for their educational investment. We are excited to announce our partnerships with Climb Credit and Ascent, student lending companies focused on financing career-building programs. 

If you’re ready to enroll and start your training to become a paralegal, you can register for your program online through our website. Still have questions about our programs? Feel free to call us at 800-371-5581 or text us at 952-465-3702. Our admissions specialists will be happy answer whatever questions you have.

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Advance your education with an accredited certificate program from Washington Technical Institute (WTI). WTI is Regionally accredited by the Middle States Association CESS, and licensed by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education as an institution of higher learning.

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Washington Technical Institute is Regionally accredited by the Middle States Association CESS, and licensed by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education as an institution of higher learning