Career Preparation

Marketable Skills

Paralegals typically possess the following qualities:

  • Outstanding organizational skills: A paralegal is responsible for many cases at one time. These cases require excellent time management and adaptability with changing deadlines.
  • Superior communication skills: Paralegals must be able to communicate, written and verbally, to both the client and their supervising attorney.
  • Excellent Computer Skills: Paralegals use computers for legal research and litigation support as well as to organize and file documents for court.
  • Superb research ability: Paralegals spend a great deal of time collecting information about a case and researching applicable law to prepare legal documents or assist their supervising attorney in court.

Career Exploration

Our program maintains a Canvas page where we send announcements about job postings, internships, and scholarship opportunities. If you aren’t already signed up on our Canvas site please email Shana Stump to be added.

One of the best sources of information on the paralegal profession in Indiana is the Indiana Paralegal Association (IPA). The IPA maintains a job bank for members and offers discounted student membership fees.

Career Advising

IU’s School of Liberal Arts offers career counseling and more at our Office of Career Development. Our counselors can help you find positions as a paralegal and put you in contact with employers. During regular semesters our office is open Monday-Friday from 9 am-5 pm and is located in Cavanaugh Hall, Rm. 243. We recommend that you schedule an appointment in advance. As a student, you can register online or schedule in person. You may reach out with further questions via email at libacdo@iu.edu.