How to hire a paralegal

How to hire a paralegal, step by step

Here's a step-by-step paralegal hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a paralegal job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new paralegal
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a paralegal do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The paralegal hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect paralegal also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of paralegal salaries for various roles:

   Type of Paralegal	Description	Hourly rate
   Paralegal	Paralegals and legal assistants do a variety of tasks to support lawyers, including maintaining and organizing files, conducting legal research, and drafting documents.	$16-33
   Law Internship	A law internship is a program that is designed for law students to give them valuable insight into the professional lives of attorneys and judges. Law interns need to understand and observe what being a lawyer involves... Show more	$11-30
   Legal Administrator	The job of legal administrative assistants is to provide support to lawyers and paralegals. They typically perform legal research, manage schedules, and draft legal-related documents... Show more	$15-31

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Litigation
   • Legal Research
   • Law Firm
   • Discovery Responses
   • Subpoenas
   • Trial Preparation
   • Affidavits
   • PowerPoint
   • Interrogatories
   • Real Estate Closings
   • Legal Support
   • Due Diligence
   • Litigation Support
   • Legal Issues

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage client expenses and prepare billing and financial statements using PClaw and reconcile attorney's escrow and general accounts using QuickBooks.
   • Manage discovery process of lawsuits by preparing pleadings and subpoenas for records and answering requests for production and interrogatories.
   • Manage large volume of documents, enabling attorneys to easily identify key documents that are critical for mediation and arbitration.
   • Prepare H-1B petition with supporting evidence and supplementary forms for attorney review and filing with USCIS.
   • Conduct legal research on Lexis and factual inquiries regarding pending litigation.
   • Review Lexis Nexis for any and all relevant documents regarding hormone replacement litigation.

   More paralegal duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the paralegal job description is a good way to get more applicants. A paralegal salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a paralegal in Oklahoma may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level paralegal. Additionally, a paralegal with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average paralegal salary

   $49,943yearly

   $24.01 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level paralegal salary

   $35,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 26, 2025

   Average paralegal salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$69,365	$33
   2	District of Columbia	$64,126	$31
   3	Washington	$57,832	$28
   4	Oregon	$55,295	$27
   5	Colorado	$54,994	$26
   6	Connecticut	$54,214	$26
   7	Illinois	$54,093	$26
   8	Maryland	$52,927	$25
   9	New York	$52,644	$25
   10	New Jersey	$52,413	$25
   11	Pennsylvania	$51,391	$25
   12	Minnesota	$51,166	$25
   13	Virginia	$50,738	$24
   14	Massachusetts	$50,706	$24
   15	Utah	$50,175	$24
   16	Arizona	$48,534	$23
   17	Missouri	$47,130	$23
   18	Texas	$47,063	$23
   19	Florida	$46,170	$22
   20	Georgia	$45,103	$22

   Average paralegal salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Arnall Golden Gregory	$110,405	$53.08
   2	Microsoft	$107,501	$51.68
   3	Kane Russell Coleman Logan	$97,078	$46.67
   4	Venable	$92,684	$44.56
   5	Silicon Valley Bank	$90,665	$43.59
   6	BNP Paribas	$81,131	$39.01
   7	HP	$80,084	$38.50	4
   8	Credit Suisse	$77,642	$37.33
   9	MUFG EMEA	$76,716	$36.88
   10	Reisenfeld & Associates	$76,044	$36.56
   11	Kent Daniels & Associates	$76,031	$36.55	11
   12	Invesco	$75,308	$36.21
   13	Prudential Bank	$73,571	$35.37	1
   14	Dorsey & Whitney	$73,385	$35.28
   15	Anheuser-Busch	$72,196	$34.71
   16	Avid	$71,401	$34.33
   17	Neuberger Berman	$70,815	$34.05
   18	Cantor Colburn	$70,395	$33.84
   19	Cipriani & Werner, P.C.	$70,001	$33.65	2
   20	Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker Llp	$69,958	$33.63	26

4. Writing a paralegal job description

   A job description for a paralegal role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a paralegal job description:

   Paralegal job description example

   The primary responsibility of the Paralegal - Gaming and Regulatory is to provide clerical and administrative support to assigned attorneys, as well as supporting and assisting attorneys in researching/analyzing routine legal issues with a strong emphasis in gaming and regulatory matters including licensing.
   
   All duties are to be performed in accordance with departmental and Las Vegas Sands Corp.'s policies, practices, and procedures. All Las Vegas Sands Corp. Team Members are expected to conduct and carry themselves in a professional manner at all times. Team Members are required to observe the Company's standards, work requirements and rules of conduct.
   Essential Duties & Responsibilities
   Assist with gaming and regulatory matters including completing license applications and complying with regulatory notice and reporting requirements in existing jurisdictions and various target markets. Developing and maintaining knowledge of relevant gambling legislation, regulations, and developments in Sands' active and target markets Coordinating with Legal and Compliance Departments in preparing and submitting notifications, reports, returns and applications to gambling regulators, as required. Conduct research of statutes, codes, rules, regulations, case law, and a variety of other legal issues. Organize and maintain electronic files Other responsibilities will include typing letters, memos, presentations, answering phones, and filing. Assist with the handling of special projects and administrative matters for the legal department. Perform job duties in a safe manner. Consistent and regular attendance is an essential function of this job. Performs other related duties as assigned.
   
   Minimum Qualifications
   At least 21 years of age. Proof of authorization/eligibility to work in the United States. High School Diploma or equivalent. Bachelor's degree in related area preferred or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Must possess a paralegal certification or higher equivalent in another jurisdiction. Must be able to obtain and maintain any other certification or license, as required by law or policy. Legal or related field experience a plus. Under the direction of an attorney, can resolve routine legal issues. Possess the ability to research and analyze law sources such as statutes, recorded judicial decisions, legal articles, treaties, constitutions, and legal codes to prepare legal documents, such as briefs, pleadings, appeals, contracts, etc. Familiar with a variety of the field's concepts, practices, and procedures. Must also possess strong organizational skills and excellent attention to detail. Possess excellent working knowledge of Microsoft applications. Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively with guests and other Team Members of different backgrounds and levels of experience. Must be able to work varied shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
   
   Physical Requirements
   
   Must be able to:
   Lift or carry 10 pounds, unassisted, in the performance of specific tasks, as assigned. Physically access all areas of the property and drive areas with or without a reasonable accommodation. Maintain composure under pressure and consistently meet deadlines with internal and external customers and contacts. Ability to interact appropriately and effectively with guests, management, other team members, and outside contacts. Ability for prolonged periods of time to walk, stand, stretch, bend and kneel. Work in a fast-paced and busy environment. Work indoors and be exposed to various environmental factors such as, but not limited to, CRT, noise, dust, and cigarette smoke.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right paralegal for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with paralegals they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit paralegals who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your paralegal job on Zippia to find and recruit paralegal candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit paralegals, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new paralegal

   Once you've selected the best paralegal candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new paralegal. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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