Legal/Paralegal: If there is any certain growth industry in this country, it's surely the Legal system, which means continued demand for Legal and Paralegal professionals. The majority of the open positions in this field are for Legal Assistants and Paralegals, who are charged with assisting lawyers with research and administrative support, recording depositions, and aiding them in all phases of their criminal or civil trials, hearings, or company meetings. Legal assistants and paralegals are also often tapped to assist in the preparation of mortgages, legal trusts, contracts, and legal agreements of separation. Paralegals can also assist in the drafting of various contracts, case investigation, locating witnesses, assisting in the preparation of legal arguments, taking affadavits, and administratively managing cases.

Paralegals and legal assistants are not merely employed with law firms. Most large corporations have legal departments and need trained legal/paralegal professionals to assist with everything from mergers & acquisitions to human resource-related issues. Similar positions are also available in many government offices.

Related positions within the field also include Court Reporting, Corporate Transcriptionist, Congressional Reporter, and Publishing Transcriptionist.

The Bureau of Labor projects Legal/Paralegal positions to be among the fastest growing in the U.S. workforce over the next decade. In 2004, the median annual income for a Paralegal was $39,130, with the top 10% earning more than $61,000.