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23-2011.00 - Paralegals and Legal Assistants


Assist lawyers by investigating facts, preparing legal documents, or researching legal precedent. Conduct research to support a legal proceeding, to formulate a defense, or to initiate legal action.


Key Facts
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Bright Outlook
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
279,500
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
300,800
Estimate
Change in Employment
+21,200
Estimate
Change in Employment %
+7.6%
Estimate
Tasks
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Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • Prepare legal documents, including briefs, pleadings, appeals, wills, contracts, and real estate closing statements.
  • Gather and analyze research data, such as statutes, decisions, and legal articles, codes, and documents.
  • Direct and coordinate law office activity, including delivery of subpoenas.
  • Prepare affidavits or other documents, such as legal correspondence, and organize and maintain documents in paper or electronic filing system.
  • Prepare for trial by performing tasks such as organizing exhibits.
  • Meet with clients and other professionals to discuss details of case.
  • File pleadings with court clerk.
  • Investigate facts and law of cases and search pertinent sources, such as public records and internet sources, to determine causes of action and to prepare cases.
Supplemental
  • Call upon witnesses to testify at hearing.
  • Keep and monitor legal volumes to ensure that law library is up-to-date.
  • Appraise and inventory real and personal property for estate planning.
  • Arbitrate disputes between parties and assist in the real estate closing process, such as by reviewing title searches.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
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Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 Clerical
  • 81%
    Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
 English Language
  • 81%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Law and Government
  • 79%
    Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
 Customer and Personal Service
  • 76%
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
 Computers and Electronics
  • 72%
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 Administration and Management
  • 55%
    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
 Public Safety and Security
  • 50%
    Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
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Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Computers
  • Notebook computers
  • Desktop computers
  • Personal computers
 Computer data input devices
  • Image scanners
  • Scanners
  • Optical character recognition equipment
 Duplicating machines
  • Photocopiers
  • Laser facsimile machines
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
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Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Business function specific software
  • Microsoft ProjectHOT
  • Microsoft SharePointHOT
  • Corel WordPerfect
  • Google DriveHOT
  • Microsoft OfficeHOT
 Finance accounting and enterprise resource planning ERP software
  • Intuit QuickBooksHOT
  • Tax software
 Content authoring and editing software
  • CaseSoft TimeMap
  • Thomson Reuters LiveNote Stream
  • Google DocsHOT
  • Legal document software
  • LexisNexis CheckCite
  • Microsoft WordHOT
  • The Sackett Group MacPac for Legal
  • Word processing software
  • Microsoft PowerPointHOT
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Optical character recognition OCR software
  • Blumbeg Drafting Libraries
  • Dataflight Opticon
  • Digital contract software
  • Microsoft Publisher
  • ProForce Paralegal Pro-Pack
  • Sure Will Writer
 Content management software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe AcrobatHOT
  • Appligent Citation FDFMerge
  • CaseSoft DepPrep
  • CaseSoft TextMap
  • Document management system software
  • Dropbox
  • Electronic transcription management software
  • Inmagic DB/TextWorks
  • IntelliPDF CURVES
  • Iron Mountain Accutrac Records Management Software
  • LexisNexis File and Serve
  • LexisNexis HotDocs
  • LexisNexis Total Search
  • Microsoft Office SharePoint Server MOSS
  • NetDocuments
  • Nuance Power PDF
  • OmniRIM Records Management Suite
  • PDF Snake Easy Bates
  • Records management software
  • Summation Blaze
  • iManage
  • Zylab ZyImage
 Data management and query software
  • Bowne JFS Litigator's Notebook
  • Software Technology PracticeMaster
  • Thomson West ProLaw
  • Bridgeway eCounsel
  • Corporate Focus Solium Shareworks
  • Data entry softwareHOT
  • Fund Software ATIDS
  • LexisNexis CaseMap
  • LexisNexis CodeMaster
  • LexisNexis Time Matters
  • Microsoft AccessHOT
  • Practice management software PMS
  • Relational database software
  • Relativity e-Discovery
  • Saga Practice Manager
  • TrialWorks
  • American LegalNet USCourtForms
  • Fastcase
  • FindForms
  • FindLaw Code of Federal Regulations CFR
  • LawManager
  • LexisNexis
  • LexisNexis Company Analyzer
  • LexisNexis SmartLinx
  • Online database search and retrieval software
  • Online public records search software
  • Online title search and property report software
  • Ovid SilverPlatter WebSPIRS
  • THOMAS Global Register
  • Thomson CompuMark SAEGIS
  • Thomson West FindLaw
  • Westlaw
  • Westlaw Real Property Deed Images
  • dtSearch
  • Tumbleweed SecureTransport
  • MicroStrategyHOT
 Industry specific software
  • Case analysis software
  • Electronic discovery software
  • LexisNexis Applied Discovery
  • LexisNexis Concordance
  • LexisNexis CourtLink Strategic Profiles
  • Litigation support software
  • Uniscribe
  • Wilson's Computer Applications RealEasy Appraisals
  • a la mode WinTOTAL
  • Computer access catalog software
 Network applications software
  • Web browser software
 Information exchange software
  • IBM NotesHOT
  • Microsoft OutlookHOT
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
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Certifications
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
 Specialty
 Advanced
 Core
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
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Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
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Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
Peirce College
 Programs
Jobs
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Jobs related to this career may be found on Indeed.com or on the Google Job Search page.