I think this depends largely on the firm and less so on the title itself.

I work at a law firm in New York and the paralegals I work with often do identical work as the attorneys except for the fact they can't sign their name to court documents. This is because a fair amount of the work we do is repetitive and doesn't require a great deal of research. Many of the paralegals have also been in the field longer than the attorneys they work under.

To me it is a very similar relationship to that of doctor and nurse. I have worked in plenty of emergency rooms where I trust the nurses over the residents every time simply because they have so much more real world experience. Then again, doctors bear much more responsibility and have to make tough decisions just like attorneys do.

So the paralegals in the firm I work at are much more independent and have assigned tasks whereas I have also been to firms where paralegals are treated as glorified secretaries that just correct and send out documents. Part of this discrepancy is that there is no real formal set of classes and exams for paralegals to take. Some of the paralegals I work with went to school and took some form of exam, but others have just worked in the field long enough that they just call themselves paralegals because no other title fits as well.

If this is a field you are considering I would try getting an internship at a small firm to see what it is like for yourself. We employee college students and graduates all the time and don't really look to see what titles they have unless we are looking to fill a very specific position.

A paralegal does research, paperwork, and generally assists a lawyer or law firm. The details vary by state. It is not hard to become a paralegal if you are good at bookish research and can write clearly and succinctly, or learn to do so. The normal way to become a paralegal is to take a series of courses at a college. The courses amount to about 1 year's worth of college, but they are often taken by adults in the evening over a couple of years.

According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook:

* Most entrants have an associate degree in paralegal studies, or a bachelor’s degree coupled with a certificate in paralegal studies.
* About 7 out of 10 work for law firms; others work for corporate legal departments and government agencies.
* Employment is projected to grow much faster than average, as employers try to reduce costs by hiring paralegals to perform tasks once done by lawyers.
* Competition for jobs should continue; experienced, formally trained paralegals should have the best employment opportunities.

Further: About 1,000 colleges and universities, law schools, and proprietary schools offer formal paralegal training programs. Approximately 260 paralegal programs are approved by the American Bar Association (ABA). Although many employers do not require such approval, graduation from an ABA-approved program can enhance employment opportunities. Admission requirements vary. Some require certain college courses or a bachelor’s degree, while others accept high school graduates or those with legal experience. A few schools require standardized tests and personal interviews.

Earnings seem to range from $38K to $56K depending on level and employer (govt pays highest).

I donot know much about it but I can suggest you online source for it.
http://onlineparalegaldegreeguide.org/

May be it will surely help.