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Best Jobs For Former Paralegals [2026]

By Chris Kolmar
Jul. 13, 2022
Last Modified and Fact Checked on:

Best Jobs for Former Paralegals in 2026

As we navigate the evolving job market in 2026, former paralegals are increasingly exploring new career paths. While the demand for paralegals remains, many are seeking opportunities that align with their skills and interests in various sectors. This shift raises an important question:

What career paths are former paralegals pursuing now?

To find out, we analyzed the resumes of thousands of former paralegals to identify the most common jobs they transitioned to after leaving the legal field. Based on this research, we’ve compiled the top 100 jobs that these individuals are now occupying.

Below is a quick overview of the top ten most common jobs for former paralegals:

  1. Legal Assistant Jobs (Overview)

  2. Litigation Paralegal Jobs (Overview)

  3. Administrative Assistant Jobs (Overview)

  4. Attorney Jobs (Overview)

  5. Office Manager Jobs (Overview)

  6. Senior Paralegal Jobs (Overview)

  7. Law Clerk Jobs (Overview)

  8. Legal Secretary Jobs (Overview)

  9. Associate Jobs (Overview)

  10. Internship Jobs (Overview)

While these roles are expected for former paralegals, there are also many surprising and unique positions that they have taken on. Here are some of the most intriguing career transitions:

  1. Customer Service Representative Jobs (Overview)

  2. Manager Jobs (Overview)

  3. Sales Associate Jobs (Overview)

  4. Project Manager Jobs (Overview)

  5. Human Resources Coordinator Jobs (Overview)

  6. Teacher Jobs (Overview)

  7. Real Estate Agent Jobs (Overview)

  8. Consultant Jobs (Overview)

  9. Investigator Jobs (Overview)

  10. Operations Manager Jobs (Overview)

How We Determined the Most Common Jobs of Former Paralegals

Our analysis utilized a comprehensive database of over 7 million resumes, focusing on those that included paralegal experience. We examined their subsequent job histories to identify the most frequently reported positions taken after their roles as paralegals, ranking them by occurrence.

To curate our list of the most interesting jobs, we sifted through the ranked data to highlight roles that:

  • Appeared in fewer than 1% of all new job listings
  • Were not among the 100 most common jobs identified in our research

Continue reading for the full detailed ranking of the most common jobs of former paralegals below.

Detailed Ranking of the Most Common Jobs of Former Paralegals

Rank Job Title %
1 Legal Assistant 5.0%
2 Litigation Paralegal 2.39%
3 Administrative Assistant 2.31%
4 Attorney 1.64%
5 Office Manager 1.62%
6 Senior Paralegal 1.6%
7 Law Clerk 1.09%
8 Legal Secretary 1.08%
9 Associate 0.99%
10 Internship 0.87%
11 Customer Service Representative 0.86%
12 Contractor-Paralegal 0.86%
13 Paralegal/Office Manager 0.81%
14 Manager 0.77%
15 Sales Associate 0.76%
16 Executive Assistant 0.74%
17 Associate Attorney 0.7%
18 Case Manager 0.63%
19 Volunteer 0.6%
20 Substitute Teacher 0.59%
21 Contracts Administrator 0.51%
22 Owner 0.5%
23 Corporate Paralegal 0.49%
24 Consultant 0.49%
25 Legal Extern 0.48%
26 Human Resources Coordinator 0.42%
27 Teacher 0.42%
28 Project Manager 0.41%
29 Contract Attorney 0.39%
30 Legal Secretary/Paralegal 0.38%
31 Real Estate Paralegal 0.38%
32 Operations Manager 0.35%
33 Team Leader 0.35%
34 Coordinator 0.35%
35 Office Assistant 0.34%
36 Office Administrator 0.32%
37 Registered Nurse 0.32%
38 Assistant 0.32%
39 Receptionist 0.3%
40 Administrator 0.3%
41 Research Assistant 0.29%
42 Bankruptcy Paralegal 0.29%
43 Server 0.28%
44 Supervisor 0.27%
45 Specialist 0.27%
46 Clerk 0.27%
47 Analyst 0.26%
48 Cashier 0.26%
49 Contracts Specialist 0.26%
50 Paralegal Specialist 0.26%
51 Assistant Manager 0.26%
52 Vice President 0.25%
53 Compliance Specialist 0.24%
54 Account Executive 0.24%
55 Writer and Editor 0.23%
56 Program Manager 0.23%
57 Contracts Manager 0.23%
58 Investigator 0.23%
59 Store Manager 0.23%
60 Account Manager 0.22%
61 Executive Legal Assistant 0.22%
62 Sales Representative 0.21%
63 Document Reviewer 0.21%
64 General Counsel 0.21%
65 Legal Analyst 0.21%
66 Compliance Analyst 0.21%
67 Project Coordinator 0.2%
68 Property Manager 0.2%
69 Secretary 0.2%
70 Owner/Operator 0.19%
71 Executive Administrative Assistant 0.18%
72 Researcher 0.17%
73 Compliance Manager 0.17%
74 Real Estate Agent 0.17%
75 Human Resources Manager 0.17%
76 Administrative Specialist 0.17%
77 Legal Specialist 0.17%
78 Director 0.17%
79 Paralegal Internship 0.16%
80 Assistant Office Manager 0.16%
81 Chief Executive Officer 0.15%
82 Security Officer 0.15%
83 Realtor 0.15%
84 Principal 0.15%
85 Litigation Support Specialist 0.15%
86 Student Attorney 0.15%
87 Assistant Paralegal 0.15%
88 Program Coordinator 0.14%
89 Court Clerk 0.14%
90 Billing Specialist 0.14%
91 Personal Assistant 0.14%
92 Executive Director 0.14%
93 Agent 0.14%
94 Support Specialist 0.14%
95 Immigration Paralegal 0.14%
96 Medical Assistant 0.14%
97 Partner 0.14%
98 Title Examiner 0.13%
99 Business Analyst 0.13%
100 Representative 0.13%

In summary, the landscape for former paralegals is shifting, with numerous opportunities available across various sectors. By leveraging their skills and experiences, former paralegals can successfully transition into rewarding careers that suit their aspirations. Whether you are considering a change or are a former paralegal exploring new paths, the options listed above provide a robust foundation to build upon in your job search.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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