I always preface my answers with: I am currently working as a paralegal for the State of Texas in a small construction litigation firm. I hold an Associates of Applied Science in Paralegal Studies from an American Bar Association (ABA) approved program. I am a member of both my local and State Bar paralegal division and actively participate. I say this because there are a few posters on here that LOVE to answer this question and they are a) NOT a paralegal; b) haven't been a paralegal for a decade ; or c) happen to be married to an attorney or knows an attorney or knows a paralegal but aren't actually one.

The most important thing to realize is that every paralegal is different. There isn't one job description that is going to help you. In the trade, we often answer this question with, "What don't we do?"

Litigation paralegals have different tasks from family law paralegals. And they have different tasks compared to criminal law paralegals. Your tasks and job duties will be wholly dependent on what type of law firm you work in, and how large the firm is. The small the firm, usually the more detailed your tasks are. The larger the firm, the more your "billing hours" are focused on as tasks are delegated to different departments.

At a minimum, you need an associate's degree from an ABA approved program. You can go to the bar website. They have a search engine with a list of every state's ABA approved programs. If there is not one close to you, I suggest finding a program that adheres as close to ABA standards as possible. DO attend an actual college. Do not get suckered into 1 year programs or online "paralegal institutes". Your basic ABA program should have classes like family law, torts, criminal law, legal research, legal writing, etc. It is a highly specialized degree..

There are very few universities that offer a bachelor's degree in paralegal studies. Most of my peers have bachelor degrees in a variety of areas. One of my closest peers works for a family law firm. She has her bachelor's degree in social work. It is important to remember that you can successfully gain employment on an associates. Many of us get our associates, find employment and then continue our education while we're getting work experience.

There are many paralegals in the field that bypass the paralegal studies altogether and manage to find jobs with their various degrees. In my experience, these individuals are an exception and have good resumes to go with that education. I know the attorneys in the area I work in want someone with that specialized knowledge because they don't have time to teach you everything you need to know. You need to be familiar with legal terminology, legal software, etc.

Just an idea of what I do all day: Draft pleadings, draft discovery, maintain our file room, schedule depositions, schedule mediations, keep in constant contact with the Courts, prepare the attorney for mediations, depositions and trial, maintain trial software, file all pleadings with the Court, arrange for service with constables, sheriffs and private process servers, lots and lots of proofreading, draft correspondence to clients, court official, and sometimes, judges, maintaining the firm calendar, etc. so on and so forth.

Like I mentioned, we all do different things to meet the needs of the firm. Good luck in your pursuit!