Average Salary Paralegal in New York, NY

Where do Paralegal earn the highest salaries?

The median salary for a Paralegal ranges from $57,000 in Tampa, FL to $88,000 in San Francisco, CA. Besides the location of employees, differences in salaries are often driven by factors such as years of experience, education, and industry.

City	10th Percentile Salary	Median Salary	Average Salary	90th Percentile Salary
San Francisco, CA	$52,000	$88,000	$89,321	$131,600
Los Angeles, CA	$52,000	$72,000	$74,099	$109,000
Seattle, WA	$45,957	$70,000	$71,509	$107,000
San Diego, CA	$50,000	$70,000	$68,069	$84,640
Phoenix, AZ	$50,000	$65,000	$65,012	$83,920
New York, NY	$41,920	$65,000	$62,524	$80,800
Dallas, TX	$40,800	$65,000	$63,050	$90,200
Denver, CO	$48,399	$64,500	$62,297	$80,448

Common employee benefits for Paralegals in New York, NY

It takes more than a paycheck to build an amazing team. In addition to a competitive base salary, offering benefits is a great way to attract and retain top Paralegals in New York, NY. Build the right benefits package for your team with Gusto!

401(k)	Paid Time Off	Work From Home
401(k) Matching	Paid Sick Time	Flexible Schedule
Health insurance	Parental Leave	Commuter Benefits
Dental Insurance	Professional Development	Life Insurance

Paralegal Job Description

As a Paralegal, you’ll provide essential support to attorneys by conducting research, writing legal documents, preparing reports, and assisting with case management. They must also help prepare for court cases by analyzing client information and preparing witnesses. You’ll play a crucial role in ensuring the efficient and effective operation of our legal department. View Full Job Description.

Paralegal Interview Questions

In the competitive world of paralegal hiring, finding the perfect candidate is crucial. The right paralegal ensures smooth legal operations. In this article, we’ll explore a carefully curated list of interview questions that hiring managers with extensive experience in the field use to identify top-tier paralegal talent.

These questions delve into a candidate’s legal knowledge, problem-solving abilities, commitment to ethics, proficiency with legal technology, and more. We also provide alternative questions to help you tailor your interviews to your needs. View Top Interview Questions for Paralegal.

What is a Paralegal?

Paralegals play an important role in supporting lawyers in their legal endeavors, serving as vital components of the legal system by undertaking various tasks. These include conducting research, drafting legal documents, organizing case files, and managing administrative duties.

Most paralegals acquire formal training alongside on-the-job experience. Many pursue certification through esteemed national organizations like the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA), the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA), and the National Association for Legal Professionals (NALS). Although New York doesn't mandate certification, employers often prefer candidates with advanced training due to paralegals' diverse responsibilities.

Paralegals go beyond traditional administrative roles, involving themselves in tasks such as investigating claims, preparing witnesses, interacting with clients, drafting documents, and contributing to trial strategies. Consequently, it is imperative to have a solid understanding of various legal areas pertinent to their law firm, including contract, real property, and criminal law.

What does a Paralegal do?

The responsibilities of paralegals vary based on the requirements of the law firm or legal department they serve and the area of law they work in. Generally, paralegals have diverse roles and are expected to handle numerous tasks, which typically include some or all of the following:

• Conducting Legal Research: Paralegals investigate legal issues, statutes, regulations, and case law to aid attorneys in case preparation, document drafting, and client counseling.
• Drafting Legal Documents: Paralegals frequently create legal documents such as pleadings, motions, contracts, and agreements, often under attorney supervision.
• Managing Cases: Paralegals assist in case management by organizing and overseeing legal files, scheduling meetings and hearings, tracking deadlines, and managing case-related documents and updates.
• Communicating with Clients: Paralegals may interact with clients to gather information, provide case updates, and address client inquiries, typically under attorney direction.
• Assisting in Trial Preparation: Paralegals support attorneys in trial preparation by arranging evidence, preparing exhibits, and contributing to trial strategy development.
• Handling Administrative Tasks: Paralegals undertake diverse administrative duties such as billing, filing court documents, and maintaining the law firm or department's calendar.
• Performing Specialized Tasks: Paralegals may engage in specialized tasks based on their area of expertise or the specific needs of their employer, such as assisting in real estate transactions, intellectual property filings, or corporate governance matters.

Paralegals often use legal software and technology tools to facilitate their work processes and enhance efficiency. So up-to-date knowledge of legal software has become increasingly important.

Check out our paralegal job description template for more information.

What skills does a Paralegal need?

Due to the varied demands of their profession, paralegals require a diverse skill set to excel. Typically, they rely on the following abilities to efficiently carry out their responsibilities:

1. Attention to Detail: Paralegals must possess a keen eye for detail to meticulously review and analyze legal documents, identify inconsistencies or errors, and ensure adherence to procedural requirements.
2. Legal Knowledge: A solid grasp of legal concepts, terminology, and procedures is indispensable for conducting thorough legal research, drafting documents, and supporting attorneys effectively.
3. Research Skills: Excellent research capabilities are essential for paralegals to locate pertinent laws, regulations, and precedents using legal databases, libraries, and other resources.
4. Writing and Communication Skills: Clear and concise written communication skills are necessary for drafting precise legal documents, correspondence, and reports. Strong verbal communication skills are crucial for effective interaction with clients and colleagues.
5. Analytical Skills: Paralegals must possess strong analytical abilities to evaluate complex legal issues, identify relevant facts, and assess the consequences and effects of different legal strategies and decisions.
6. Organization and Time Management: Organizing and managing legal documents, deadlines, and tasks is critical for maintaining well-organized case files, scheduling appointments, and completing assignments promptly.
7. Ethical and Professional Conduct: Upholding high standards of ethics, confidentiality, and professionalism is vital for fostering trust and maintaining integrity within the legal profession.
8. Computer and Technology Skills: Proficiency with legal software, research databases, document management systems, and other technology tools is crucial for conducting efficient legal research, drafting documents, and managing case files.

Additionally, paralegals should possess specialized skills pertinent to their specific area of legal practice. Many pursue additional training and education to advance their careers within their chosen specialization.

How to become a Paralegal in New York?

New York has no age, experience, degree, or certification requirements for paralegals. But law offices or legal departments often have stricter requirements, especially in highly competitive areas like New York city. To meet those expectations and get your career off to a great start, you’ll want to explore education opportunities.

First, you can get an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies, criminal justice, or even business administration. While an associate’s degree is great, paralegals with bachelor’s degrees usually receive better wages, more opportunities, and faster career advancement. Post-baccalaureate degrees are also helpful, such as a master’s degree in legal studies. Master’s degrees are also useful for people without a law-specific bachelor’s degree.

You can also pursue a certification in paralegal studies from an ABA-approved organization or school. Certificates offer you advantages in getting better pay and job opportunities.And they’re less expensive than a master’s degree. This makes them a great option for people with an applicable degree—or without a degree at all.

What if you only have a high school diploma, can you still get certification? In many cases you can with applicable on-the-job experience. Working as a legal assistant—junior to paralegals—is a great way to get experience without a post-secondary degree. While more prestigious law firms or legal departments will typically require degrees even of legal assistants, smaller firms may have looser requirements.

Do paralegals need a degree in New York?

Currently, you do not need a degree to practice as a paralegal in New York. As we’ve shown, law offices and legal departments prefer advanced training and certification, even when hiring entry-level paralegals.

But there’s more. The Empire State Alliance of Paralegal Associations (ESAPA) is lobbying New York legislators to implement degree requirements for paralegals. Specifically, the organization wants the state to require aspiring paralegals to complete postsecondary paralegal studies programs approved by the American Bar Association (ABA).

Not surprisingly, ESAPA offers certification through its New York State Certified Paralegal Program. When you complete the program, you can add its credential, New York State Certified Paralegal (NYSCP), to your resume. The organization also offers continuing legal education courses (CLEs). You’ll need to complete 12 credits worth every two years to keep your certification.

How long does it take to become a paralegal in NY?

The length of time it takes to become a paralegal in New York depends on the career path you take. If you become a paralegal through work experience as a legal assistant without a higher education degree, it will likely take you five or more years to become a paralegal. And even with experience, you may struggle to compete with other candidates who have more education or be offered lower pay.

Getting an associate's degree in paralegal studies is the shortest educational track. The coursework takes two years to complete, and you’ll have a good chance of finding a job. However, you may still struggle to gain higher compensation and compete with people who have completed higher degrees or advanced certifications.

A bachelor’s degree can be completed in four years or less and offers you a ton of advantages when it comes to job seeking. If you’re making a career change or want to compete in more competitive job markets, adding a certification usually takes a year or less. A master’s degree is typically an additional two years of college work, which you don’t need for an entry-level position but is usually good for career advancement.

And don’t forget: you can gain experience and education simultaneously. Consider this:

• Work as a legal assistant while you complete your associate’s.
• Work as an entry-level paralegal while you complete your bachelor’s.
• Work as a paralegal while you complete certification or a master’s degree.

Education plus experience is the best way to advance your career and earning potential. You may also find educational assistance programs with some employers.

Methodology

Gusto salary insights data is derived using Gusto’s real-time payroll data from over 300,000 small and medium-sized businesses across the country.