Also called: Legal Paraprofessional (Arizona), Licensed Paralegal Practitioner (Utah), Licensed Paralegal (Oregon)
A new kind of licensed legal professional, not a full lawyer, who can give legal advice and even appear in court on simpler matters like divorces, evictions, and debt cases.
A few states now let trained paraprofessionals do what only lawyers could: help a tenant answer an eviction, walk a parent through a custody case, or stand beside them in court. They charge much less than lawyers, so they serve people who otherwise go without help.
Brand-new license category in AZ, UT, OR, CO, MN, and others; pay estimated from paralegal and solo-practice data.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Associate's degree (2-year), about 3 years after high school. Paralegal degree or experience plus a state licensing exam and ethics training; no law degree needed.
Ways in: 2-year college, 4-year college, Certification. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Paralegal Studies, Legal Studies, Criminal Justice.
Growing much faster than average. More states are adopting these licenses to close the "justice gap."
Medium risk for 10 years. AI helps fill forms and draft simple filings; giving advice and standing beside clients in court on eviction or family cases stays human.
Classes: AP U.S. Government, Spanish, Psychology, Business CTE class.
Official data: O*NET occupation 23-2099.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.