Steps Toward a Paralegal Career in Mississippi
Follow the step by step process on how to become a paralegal below:
- Begin Paralegal Education in Mississippi
- Obtain Paralegal Work Experience in Mississippi
- Learn About Paralegal Certification in Mississippi (Optional)
- Look for Paralegal Jobs in Mississippi
- After Becoming a Paralegal in Mississippi
Paralegal Job Description in Mississippi
In 1980, paralegals and legal assistants working across the state of Mississippi founded the Mississippi Paralegal Association to promote the profession and to encourage professionalism and ethics in the profession. In 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were 1,950 paralegals and legal assistants working in Mississippi, making an annual average salary of $46,060. If you would like to join their ranks and become a paralegal in Mississippi, read on.
Begin Paralegal Education in Mississippi
Education for paralegals in Mississippi is each aspiring paralegal’s choice, as there is no mandate for paralegal education in the state. While not required under the law, obtaining paralegal education in Mississippi is vital to attaining a good paralegal job.
Mississippi Paralegal Online and Campus School Programs
Educational programs may or may not be accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA). Again, accreditation is not a must, but some employers in Mississippi prefer to hire graduates of accredited paralegal programs. Other prospective paralegals in Mississippi opt to study criminal justice, legal studies, or related disciplines, obtaining an associate degree, bachelor’s degree, or certificate.
These paralegal programs in Mississippi are ABA-accredited:
- University of Southern Mississippi – Hattiesburg
- Bachelor of Arts, Paralegal Studies
- Mississippi University for Women – Columbus
- Bachelor of Arts, Paralegal Studies
- Bachelor of Science, Paralegal Studies
Paralegal Work Experience in Mississippi
You may be required to complete a paralegal internship while fulfilling the requirements of your Mississippi paralegal education program. If you are not exposed to such a work experience, you should pursue one on your own. The following pro bono legal services in Mississippi often welcome the services of paralegal students on a paid or unpaid basis:
- North Mississippi Rural Legal Services, Inc.-Oxford
- Mississippi Center for Legal Services-Hattiesburg
- Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project – Jackson
- Mississippi Center for Justice – Jackson, Biloxi and Indianola
Paralegal Certification in Mississippi (Optional)
National certification through a paralegal or legal assistant organization is not a requirement in order to work as a paralegal in Mississippi. However, the Mississippi Paralegal Association recommends national certification through an organization such as the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) in order to further your career aspirations and advancement as a paralegal in Mississippi. The following certifications are available through NALA:
- Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) (also known as Certified Paralegal, or CP): attainable through passing a two-day exam on:
- Verbal/written communication skills
- Ethics
- Human relations
- Judgment/analytical ability
- Legal research
- Legal terminology
- Substantive law
- Certified Legal Assistant Specialist (CLA Specialist) (also known as Advanced Paralegal Certification or APC): attainable for CLAs only through a four-hour exam in one of the following legal specialty areas:
- Bankruptcy
- Intellectual property
- Real estate
- Criminal law and procedure
- Corporate and business law
- Probate and estate planning
- Civil litigation
Look for Paralegal Jobs in Mississippi
Once you have completed your education, experience, and optional certification, you are ready to search for paralegal jobs in Mississippi. Do not limit your search to law groups, firms, and private practice. Paralegals are also employed in many Mississippi businesses, corporations, government agencies, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations, such as:
- Mississippi Center for Justice – Jackson
- Butler Snow LLP – Gulfport
- National Guard – Canton
- Corban, Gunn, Van Cleave- Hattiesburg
- State of Mississippi – Jackson
- Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes, PLLC –Biloxi
- Mitchell, McNutt & Sams, P.A. – Oxford
- William B. Howell, Ltd. – Madison Count
You’ve Become a Paralegal in Mississippi
You have made it! You are now a paralegal working in the state of Mississippi! Think about joining an organization consisting of other paralegals, legal assistants, and legal professionals such as the ones listed below. They can help you with your career advancement and provide valuable networking opportunities:
2022 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and employment figures for Paralegals and Legal Assistants reflect national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed April 2023.