Paralegal Job Description in Wyoming

According to Wyoming Labor Market Information of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Research and Planning Division, job opportunities for legal assistants and paralegals in the state will increase substantially from 2012 to 2022. It is estimated that these jobs will increase by 16.1 percent during this period. As of 2012, the average annual wage for a paralegal in Wyoming is $40,913. Read on to discover how to become a paralegal in Wyoming and take advantage of the many expected paralegal job openings over the next decade.
 

Paralegals may enter the workforce in Wyoming through education, on-the-job training, experience, certification or a combination of all of these. There are no laws regulating education for paralegals in Wyoming.

Wyoming Paralegal Online and Campus Schools

The American Bar Association (ABA) approves some Wyoming paralegal programs, but you do not have to attend an ABA-approved paralegal program in order to work in Wyoming.
ABA-approved Wyoming paralegal programs include:

• Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne
• Associate of Applied Science in Paralegal
• Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Paralegal
• Casper College in Casper
• Associate of Arts in Paralegal Studies
• Associate of Applied Science in Paralegal Studies
• Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Paralegal Studies

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The more experience you accrue while a paralegal student, the easier it will be for you to find a paralegal job in Wyoming at the end of your schooling. Legal aid and pro bono organizations across Wyoming would welcome the help of a paralegal student looking to gain valuable substantive legal skills in an on-the-job setting. They include:

• Wyoming State Bar Foundation in Cheyenne
• Legal Aid of Wyoming, Inc. in Cheyenne
• University of Wyoming College of Law’s Legal Services Program in Laramie
• Wyoming State Bar Pro Bono Volunteer Lawyers Program in Cheyenne

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Certification is optional for Wyoming paralegals. The Wyoming State Bar, however, recommends national certification for state paralegals through the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA). NALA’s Certified Paralegal (CP) credential is attainable through examination, including objective and essay questions. The exam covers the following legal topics:

• Real estate
• Probate/estate planning
• Litigation
• Criminal law/procedure
• Family law
• Contracts
• Business organizations
• Bankruptcy
• Administrative law
• American Legal System
• Judgment and Legal Analysis
• Legal research
• Ethics
• Communications

The Wyoming State Bar notes that Certified Paralegals are often hired over those who do not hold CP credentials. It is a way to hold yourself out from the rest of the crowd of paralegals and indicate that you have the highest professional and ethical standards of the paralegal profession.

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Law firms of all sizes in Wyoming have the need for legal assistants and paralegals. Corporations, non-profit entities, government agencies, academia and more also hire paralegals in Wyoming, such as:

• State of Wyoming – Cheyenne, Casper
• Holland & Hart, LLP – Rock Springs
• University of Wyoming – Laramie
• Davis & Cannon, LLP - Buffalo
• National Guard – Cheyenne
• Kirven & Kirven, PC - Cody
• Allstate Corporate – Cheyenne
• Moore & Myers, LLC – Jackson
• Central Wyoming Law Associates, P.C. – Laramie
• Burg, Simpson, Eldredge, Hersh & Jardine, P.C. - Sheridan

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Congratulations! You are now a paralegal working in Wyoming! If you have become certified, make sure to complete your continuing legal education (CLE) in a timely manner to maintain certification. Also, consider joining a voluntary organization for paralegals. In Wyoming, there is the Legal Assistants of Wyoming association, as well as the nearby Rocky Mountain Paralegal Association based in Colorado.

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