Wyoming Paralegal Career and Salary Guide
Our Wyoming paralegal career guide is your comprehensive resource for starting a career as a paralegal in Wyoming. Like most states, Wyoming does not regulate the profession of paralegals and legal assistants, and formal certification nor registration is required. This overview provides information on how to become a paralegal in Wyoming, salary and job outlook in the state, and national certification options. Begin your paralegal career journey using the directory below.
Table of Contents
- How to Become a Paralegal in Wyoming
- Paralegal Certification
- Paralegal Career and Salary Outlook
- Paralegal Resources
How to Become a Paralegal in Wyoming
Wyoming state law does not regulate the training or employment of paralegals and legal assistants. This lack of regulation allows private law firms to train paralegals through on-site training programs. However, nearly all employers prefer paralegal candidates who have completed some formal paralegal training or degree program. In addition to education, gaining experience as a legal assistant and seeking voluntary certification from a national organization are other recommended steps for becoming a paralegal.
1. Earn a degree or certificate in paralegal studies.
Since most employers prefer paralegal candidates with a college education, getting an associate degree, bachelor’s degree, or certificate in paralegal studies at one of the paralegal schools in Wyoming is the best first step towards a career as a paralegal. Currently, the American Bar Association (ABA) has approved two Wyoming paralegal programs.1
2. Gain experience.
Many paralegal programs offer real-world experiences for students in the form of internships. It is wise for students to take advantage of such opportunities since experience is excellent preparation for future jobs and is looked favorably upon by employers.
3. Seek certification, if desired.
Finally, it is recommended that future paralegals get certified, even though it is not required in Wyoming. Certification is offered to Wyoming paralegals at the national level only. You can read more about it below.
Paralegal Certification in Wyoming
As in most other states, Wyoming paralegal certification is not required to work as a paralegal in the state. Paralegals and legal assistants are classified as paraprofessionals and permitted to undertake law-related tasks with the direct supervision of an attorney. Though Wyoming paralegal certification is not mandated by state law, upon completion of a Wyoming paralegal program, candidates are urged to seek voluntary certification through a national organization such as the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA), the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA), or the American Alliance of Paralegals, Inc. (AAPI). The certification examinations and continuing education programs offered through these organizations are intended for practicing and prospective paralegals wishing to expand their training and gain valuable credentials. Though not required, national certification provides individuals with a powerful edge in the paralegal job market. You can read more about national certification on our guide Steps to Become a Paralegal.
Wyoming Paralegal Career and Salary Outlook
Though paralegal employment is expanding in a variety of work environments, law firms remain the primary employers of paralegal and legal assistant labor nationwide. Large law firms tend to allocate paralegal labor based on subject area, giving paralegals and legal assistants the opportunity to specialize in a particular legal area. Hathaway & Kunz PC is a full-service law firm founded and based in Cheyenne that provides legal services in a variety of practice areas with particular emphasis on litigation and financial law. Murane & Bostwick LLC is another prestigious Wyoming firm, operating out of offices in Casper and Cheyenne. With specialties in real estate transactions, commercial litigation, environmental law, and insurance claims issues, Murane & Bostwick may also provide opportunities for paralegal jobs in Wyoming.
Paralegals and legal assistants interested in business transactions, commercial litigation, or financial law may want to consider employment within corporate internal legal departments. Wyoming hosts several large corporations including Jackson State Bank & Trust, Cyclone Drilling, and Cloud Peak Energy. Additional opportunities for Wyoming paralegal jobs may be found at various state, regional, and federal government agencies.
LinkedIn is a good research resource where you can search on geography (Wyoming or city-level) for “paralegal” to find networking opportunities and also companies most associated with users identifying as paralegals; companies in Wyoming with the most LinkedIn users as paralegals include:
- Cheyenne Regional Medical Center
- Crowley Fleck Attorneys PLLP
- The Spence Law Firm, LLC
- State of Wyoming
- Sundahl, Powers, Kapp & Martin, LLC
- University of Wyoming
- Williams, Porter, Day & Neville P.C.
For more information about paralegal careers, take a look at our careers page.
Wyoming Paralegal Salary Information
Projected Job Growth
10%
Paralegals in Wyoming from 2018-20282
In May 2020, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimated 500 paralegals and legal assistants employed in Wyoming.3 As law offices seek to lower labor costs, the role of paralegal support staff has grown, with paralegals adopting tasks previously assigned to attorneys and greater numbers of paralegals being hired relative to attorneys. This trend is also visible in the corporate sphere as companies expand less costly internal legal departments rather than seeking more expensive outside counsel. Congruent with these trends, Projections
Central predicts 15.4% employment growth for paralegals and legal assistants in Wyoming from 2018 to 2028, which is higher than the growth expected nationwide of 12%.2 The eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area actually has the fifth-highest concentration of jobs and location quotients of paralegals of nonmetropolitan areas throughout the US.3 The state and national job growth predicted for paralegals and legal assistants reflects a positive job outlook for paralegals in Wyoming. Formal education through one of the paralegal schools in Wyoming or another state and national certification continue to be key to paralegal employment and are recommended for prospective paralegal professionals. For more information regarding paralegal education and employment within the state, please refer to the Wyoming paralegal associations listed below.
In May 2020, the BLS reported the average paralegal salary in Wyoming at $43,160.3 Though this is significantly lower than the national median paralegal salary of $56,610, this may be due in part to the low cost of living in the state.3 In addition, Wyoming paralegal salaries vary by geographic area. For example, paralegals located in Casper and Cheyenne earn higher salaries, and paralegals in the Grand Rapids metropolitan area that includes parts of Wyoming earn the sixth-highest average annual salary in the US at $73,090.3
Wyoming Paralegal Salary by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Number Employed4 | Average Annual Salary4 |
|---|---|---|
| Casper | 80 | $46,350 |
| Cheyenne | 130 | $51,840 |
Paralegal Resources
Paralegal Associations in Wyoming
These are volunteer organizations, typically with elected boards, that focus on professional development and networking for a specific geographical location and/or area of law.
- Legal Assistants of Wyoming (LAW): Serves paralegals and legal assistants across the state with continuing education opportunities, access to a members-only jobs board, and more.
- The Rocky Mountain Paralegal Association (RMPA): An affiliate of NFPA, RMPA serves paralegals in Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.
Additional Resources
- Wyoming Judicial Branch: Provides links to all courts in the state’s jurisdiction from the Supreme Court to the Circuit Courts with access to court rules, dockets, and e-filing systems, as well as the most current forms and schedules of fees.
- Wyoming State Law Library: Based in Cheyenne in the Wyoming Supreme Court building, the Wyoming State Law Library holds comprehensive collections in state and federal law, including notable collections in Native American legal resources and general law.
- University of Wyoming College of Law George W. Hopper Law Library: Based in Laramie on the main campus and encompasses over 206,000 volumes open to the general public for legal research purposes.
References:
1. American Bar Association Directory of ABA Approved Paralegal Education Programs: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/paralegals/paralegal-resource-directory/
2. Projections Central Long Term Occupational Projections: https://projectionscentral.org/Projections/LongTerm
3. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2020 Occupational Employment and Wages, Paralegals and Legal Assistants: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes232011.htm
4. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcma.htm