In the United States, the median annual salary for a paralegal in the private sector is US$47,600 (as of May 2007).
Paralegals working for the U.S. federal government average over $53,000 per year while state and local government paralegals earn around $34,000. Larger law firms may pay over $100,000 annually with benefits depending on experience with starting salaries over $50,000. Starting salaries in smaller metropolitan areas, however, are about $24,000 annually.
Tasks Involved:
According to United States law, there are five specific acts which only a licensed attorney can perform:
Establish the attorney-client relationship
Give legal advice
Sign legal papers and pleadings on behalf of a party
Appear in court on behalf of another (i.e. the client)
Set and collect fees for legal services
Beyond the five acts above, the paralegal can perform any task, including legal research, legal writing, preparation of exhibits, and the day-to-day tasks of case management. The key is that attorneys are entirely responsible for the actions of their paralegals, and, by signing documents prepared by paralegals, attorneys make them their own.
