A Paralegal is “… a person qualified through education, training, or work experience to perform substantive legal work that requires knowledge of legal concepts and is customarily, but not exclusively, performed by a lawyer.*” North Central State College is ready to prepare you to excel in this rewarding field.

Where You Could Go

Paralegals can be found in a variety of organizations with duties varying by employer. Paralegals are most commonly found in law firms, corporate legal departments, and various government offices (including the U.S. Department of Justice, the Federal Deposit Insurance Company and the U.S. Department of Treasury and Defense, who are the largest employers of Paralegals). They work in many law arenas, including litigation, real estate, corporate and family law.

NC State has over 40 agreements with four-year colleges and universities, to provide a smooth transition for students who want to pursue a bachelor degree. Through university partnerships, some four-year courses are also offered on the NC State campus or online.

What You Could Do

Some of the most common tasks assumed by Paralegals include:

• Preparing for closings, hearings, trials, and corporate meetings.
• Interviewing witnesses/clients and investigating facts.
• Performing legal research.
• Identifying appropriate laws, judicial decisions, legal articles, etc.
• Assisting with trial and appeals preparation.
• Preparing tax returns and assisting with estate planning.
• Conducting patent and trademark searches.
• Researching complaints and affidavits.

What You Could Earn

The salary range for Paralegals is $40,000 to $45,000.

Job Demand

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the Paralegal profession is expected to grow faster than average as the amount of legal responsibilities increases.

		Curriculum
		Career Outlook
		Local Job Growth
		Required Courses

  Potential Job Titles

  Faculty