Paralegal and related occupations include paralegals, independent paralegals, notaries public and trademark agents.
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Paralegals:
Independent paralegals:
Notaries public:
Trademark agents:
People in this occupational group:
Source: Estimated median employment income based on 2021 Job Bank median hourly wage rate (median annual salary = hourly wage rate x 40 (hours per week) x 52.14 (weeks per year))
Note:Estimated median employment income based on 2021 Job Bank median hourly wage rate (median annual salary = hourly wage rate x 40 (hours per week) x 52.14 (weeks per year))
Source: 2021 Job Bank Wage Report
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook
10 year expected job openings: 1,280
N/A - Data not available
Paralegals and related occupations typically specialize in specific areas of law, such as commercial, corporate, family, real estate, litigation or criminal law. Paralegals and individuals in related occupations perform various duties described below.
Legal assistants, paralegals, notaries public and trademark agents carry out most of their duties in offices, courthouses or law libraries, although they must sometimes travel outside the workplace to do research or perform other duties.
Most work full time throughout the year during normal office hours. However, workers in this occupational group must occasionally work very long hours under pressure to meet deadlines.
Workers increasingly use technology in their work, such as computers and online services offered through court, land title and corporate registries, so they should be able to learn new computer programs quickly.
Source: 2016 Census
Legal assistants, paralegals and related occupations require a college diploma in a paralegal (formerly legal assistant) program. Other requirements for paralegals may include:
Notaries public in B.C. must:
Trademark agents must:
Those who are certified for an occupation by a regulator elsewhere in Canada can apply for the same certification from the regulator in B.C. Under the terms of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), most applicants who are transferring their credentials from elsewhere in Canada will not be required to complete additional training or testing. However, the B.C. regulator may ask applicants to provide further information such as a letter of good standing, references, or criminal record check. For those who trained outside of Canada and never received certification from any Canadian jurisdiction, a full assessment is likely needed. Most occupational regulators have a process for assessment and recognize internationally trained applicants. Contact the Society of Notaries Public of BC for details on how to apply for certification in B.C. For information about labour mobility in Canada, visit www.workersmobility.ca. View a list of B.C. occupational regulators.
For more information about programs offered specifically for this career, visit EducationPlannerBC.
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 35 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. You’ll also find the skill strength needed, letting you know how capable you must be in that skill.
Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Job openings in the coming years will arise from new job creation and the need to replace retiring workers. Industry sources report that there is currently demand for paralegals in the province.
Organizations that hire paralegals and related occupations, such as those offering real estate, financial, insurance and legal services, are expected to expand as the need for their services increases due to provincial population growth.
Law firms and other organizations may reduce costs and increase the availability and efficiency of legal services by hiring paralegals and related occupations, however, a lawyer is still responsible for and must supervise the work of paralegals and legal assistants.
Career paths
Recent graduates from the paralegal program usually find positions as junior paralegals.
These workers may be promoted to managerial and other law-related positions within a firm.
Those with a bachelor of law degree may be eligible to become lawyers if they meet the requirements of a provincial law society.
Additional resources