Steps Toward a Paralegal Career in Hawaii

Follow the step by step process on how to become a paralegal below:

Finish a Paralegal Education Program in Hawaii
Seek Paralegal Work Experience in Hawaii
Pursue Optional Paralegal Certification in Hawaii
Find Employment as a Paralegal in Hawaii
Now That You’ve Become a Paralegal in Hawaii

Paralegal Job Description in Hawaii

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the U.S. Department of Labor states that as of May 2021, paralegals working in the state of Hawaii averaged a yearly salary of $57,920, making Hawaii the fifth-highest paying state in which paralegals worked. That year, there were almost 1,090 paralegals employed in Hawaii, making an hourly mean wage of $27.85. Paralegals have an important and challenging job in assisting lawyers and the public in legal matters. If you want to become a paralegal in Hawaii, read on for more information.

Step 1

Finish a Paralegal Education Program in Hawaii

As Hawaii has no mandates regarding education for paralegals employed in the state, education is an option for aspiring paralegals in Hawaii. Without the right education, however, it is just about impossible to find a paralegal job in Hawaii.

Hawaii Paralegal Online and Campus Schools

Featured Programs:

Seek Paralegal Work Experience in Hawaii

Most paralegal programs, especially ones that hold ABA accreditation, require that you complete some sort of internship as part of the program. This will provide you with invaluable work experience in the paralegal field. If your educational program does not provide you with this great opportunity, you may still seek paralegal work experience in Hawaii on your own. Many pro bono and volunteer law services welcome help from aspiring paralegals. Organizations in Hawaii to which you might look for volunteer work experience include:

Step 3

Optional Paralegal Certification in Hawaii

You need not seek national paralegal certification in order to work in Hawaii. Some Hawaii paralegals, however, decide to become certified to market themselves above non-certified paralegals when seeking a job. The Hawaii Paralegal Association recommends the following national certification for paralegals who desire certification:

Registered Paralegal (RP): This certification is earned by passing the National Federation of Paralegal Association’s (NFPA) Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE). Your knowledge of the following five domains will be tested:
- Office administration
- Legal and factual writing
- Legal and factual research
- Administration of client legal matters
- Development of client legal matters
Certified Registered Paralegal (CRP): This credential is earned by passing the NFPA’s Paralegal CORE Competency Exam (PCCE), which tests Paralegal Practice and Substantive Areas of Law.

Step 4

Find Employment as a Paralegal in Hawaii

Major law firms as well as corporations, non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and many more entities may employ paralegal sin Hawaii. Examples of Hawaii companies that have advertised recently for a paralegal vacancy include:

University of Hawaii, Honolulu
State of Hawaii, Oahu
Kaiser Permanente, Honolulu
State of Hawaii, Kauai
Marr Jones & Wang LLP, Nuuanu-Punchbowl
Case Lombard & Petit, Honolulu
Altres, Honolulu

Step 5

Now That You’ve Become a Paralegal in Hawaii

Ho’omaika’i ‘ana! You are now a paralegal working in Hawaii! You should think about becoming a member of a voluntary membership organization of legal assistants and/or paralegals. Such an organization can help you to advance in your career, to meet like-minded individuals, and to make the most of your paralegal career in Hawaii:

2021 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.