Virginia Paralegal Career and Salary Guide

While Virginia has no statewide standards required for paralegals, many jobs in the field require a degree in paralegal studies, such as an associate degree. On this page, you will find information on how to become a Virginia paralegal, certification options in the state, career and salary outlook, and professional resources.

Table of Contents

• How to Become a Paralegal in Virginia
• Paralegal Certification
• Paralegal Career and Salary Outlook
• Paralegal Resources

How to Become a Paralegal in Virginia

There are no statewide requirements for Virginia paralegals, allowing paralegal candidates and legal assistants to take many career paths. Most entry-level paralegals in Virginia possess a combination of formal education and practical work experience. Following are the basic steps to becoming a paralegal in Virginia:

1. Earn a degree or certificate in paralegal studies.

It is strongly recommended that paralegals and legal assistants pursue a degree or certificate at one of Virginia’s paralegal schools before seeking employment. These programs typically culminate in certificates in legal studies, paralegal associate degrees, or bachelor’s degrees in paralegal studies, and include practical training in professional skills. The American Bar Association (ABA) has approved four paralegal programs in Virginia.¹

2. Gain experience.

Through degree and certificate programs, paralegal candidates often receive on-the-job training through internships and job shadowing opportunities. Gaining practical experience is highly valued by employers seeking to hire entry-level paralegals. Some paralegals begin their careers in entry-level roles, such as legal secretaries, and advance to paralegal positions as they gain experience.

3. Seek certification, if desired.

Although certification is optional for Virginia paralegals, those with voluntary certification are often favored by employers seeking committed and knowledgeable candidates. Virginia paralegals can pursue certification through national and state associations.

Paralegal Certification in Virginia

In Virginia, paralegals and legal assistants are classified as legal paraprofessionals and are permitted to perform certain legal tasks under the direct supervision of a qualified attorney. To become a certified paralegal, individuals must complete a voluntary certification program offered through a recognized paralegal organization. The National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA, the Paralegal Association), the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA), and the National Association for Legal Professionals (NALS) all offer comparable certification programs designed to establish a high standard of excellence for paralegals and legal assistants nationwide. For more information on national certification options, take a look at our guide Steps to Become a Paralegal.

Virginia Certification

Virginia paralegals may also pursue the Virginia Registered Paralegal (VARP) credential from the Virginia Alliance of Paralegal Associations (VAPA). To qualify for the VARP credential, paralegals and legal assistants must be voting members of any VAPA member association and have one of the following qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies from an accredited institution and one year of substantive legal experience
• A bachelor’s degree in any subject from an accredited institution, a certificate from an institutionally accredited paralegal program, and one year of legal experience
• A bachelor’s degree in any discipline from an accredited school and three years of paralegal experience
• A bachelor’s degree in any subject, a paralegal certificate from any non-institutionally accredited paralegal program, and two years of paralegal experience
• An associate’s degree in paralegal studies and two years of paralegal experience
• A certificate from an institutionally accredited paralegal program and three years of paralegal experience
• An associate’s degree in any subject from an accredited institution and four years of paralegal experience
• A paralegal certificate from a non-institutionally accredited paralegal program and four years of paralegal experience
• Five years of paralegal experience and six hours of continuing legal education (at least one hour in ethics)within the preceding two years
• Certified Paralegal status or other paralegal credential approved and recognized by VAPA

Read more about the VARP credential on the VAPA website.

Virginia Paralegal Career and Salary Outlook

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were an estimated 9,460 paralegals and legal assistants employed in Virginia, earning an average annual salary of $63,820.³ The Washington DC-Arlington-Alexandria metropolitan area, which includes part of Virginia, was the third-highest-paying metro area and had the fifth-highest employment level of metro areas in the US.³ According to Projections Central, paralegal and legal assistant employment is expected to increase by 4.2% nationwide, but it is expected to decrease by 0.4% in Virginia.² Still, there are projected to be around 1,070 paralegal job openings per year for the 10-year period.²

Virginia Paralegal Salary by Metro Area

Paralegal Employers in Virginia

Though paralegals and legal assistants are required in all types of organizations, law firms, corporate legal departments, and government agencies are the primary employers of paralegals. LinkedIn is a good research resource where you can search on geography (Virginia or city-level) for “paralegal” to find networking opportunities, job postings, and companies most associated with users identifying as paralegals; companies in Virginia with the most LinkedIn users as paralegals include:

• Capital One
• Hunton & Williams LLP
• McGuireWoods LLP
• US Army
• U.S. Department of Justice
• US Navy

For more information about paralegal careers, take a look at our careers page.

Paralegal Resources

Here are some resources to help paralegals in Virginia with professional development, networking, and career growth.

Paralegal Associations in Virginia

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.

• Fredericksburg Area Bar Association (FABA): Seeks to provide an open forum for Fredericksburg paralegals and legal assistants to discuss issues and pursue career development.
• Local Government Paralegal Association of Virginia (LGPA): Focuses on the needs of paralegals employed by government offices located within the Commonwealth of Virginia and hosts regular conferences and continuing education events for members.
• National Capital Area Paralegal Association (NCAPA): Promotes the interests of paralegals and legal assistants in the DC/Maryland/Virginia (DMV) area through a mentorship program, continuing legal education, and a members-only jobs bank.
• Paralegal Association of Northern Virginia (PANV): Strives to promote paralegal and legal assistant interests throughout Northern Virginia through guest speaking events, regular member meetings, professionally-oriented events, and pro bono service opportunities.
• Richmond Paralegal Association (RPA): Seeks to promote professionalism, public service, and networking for Central Virginia paralegals through regular meetings, mini-seminars, and continuing education opportunities.
• Roanoke Valley Paralegal Association (RVPA): Serves Roanoke Valley paralegals and legal assistants, offering monthly meetings with guest speakers, educational seminars, and community service events.
• Tidewater Paralegal Association (TPA): Promotes professional recognition of paralegals and continuing education for legal professionals in the Tidewater area through monthly dinner meetings, study groups for professional certification, and annual seminars and receptions.
• Virginia State Bar : Offers paralegals and legal assistants access to current legal news and has a comprehensive employment board with statewide opportunities.
• Virginia Peninsula Paralegal Association (VPPA): Promotes the paralegal profession in southeast Virginia through education, certification, and a network of professional support.

Additional Resources

• Paralegal411 Jobs Board: Search for Virginia paralegal jobs on our jobs board.
• University of Virginia Arthur J. Morris Law Library: Housed within the University of Virginia School of Law in Charlottesville, the Arthur J. Morris Law Library is open to the general public and offers a wide-ranging collection of print and electronic volumes, including nearly 5,000 rare books on subjects in Anglo-American legal history.
• Virginia’s Judicial System: Provides links to all state and local courts and hosts an online e-filing service, case status and information, and employment opportunities.
• Virginia State Jobs Board: Hosts a job board dedicated to government paralegal jobs.
• Virginia State Law Library: Comprehensive reference collection that is open to paralegals working under the supervision of an attorney.
• Wahab Public Law Library: Located in Virginia Beach, this public law library houses over 12,500 print volumes and provides access to electronic legal databases, research software, and provides e-mail delivery of select documents from electronic legal resources free of charge.

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, 2022-2032: https://projectionscentral.org/Projections/LongTerm
3. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wages, Paralegals and Legal Assistants: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes232011.htm
4. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcma.htm