One of the nation’s powerhouse states, Florida has long enjoyed a strong GDP, growing by nearly 50% in the last 20 years, according to Forbes. This type of meteoric economic growth has long supported a strong legal field which, in turn, has meant exciting opportunities for paralegals.
Publix, Winn-Dixie, Office Depot, HSN, and Fidelity National Financial are just some of the major employers of paralegals in Florida, while Cole Scott & Kissane PA in Tampa and Cole, Scott & Kissane in Miami are among the bigger regional firms in the state that employ paralegals specializing in litigation, estate law, immigration, real estate law and more. If you want to become part of this exciting profession, you’ll first need to learn how to become a paralegal in Florida.
As of 2020, Fort Lauderdale, Tallahassee, Miami, West Palm Beach, Tampa, Port St. Lucie, and St Petersburg all rank among the top metros in the country for the highest concentration of paralegal jobs.*
The Florida Legislature has revisited the matter of regulating paralegals several times in recent years. Although voluntary registration with the Florida Bar is available, currently, in order for professionals to refer to themselves as paralegals, all they have to do is meet the definition laid out by the Florida Bar Association:
A paralegal is a person with education, training, or work experience who works under the direction and supervision of a member of The Florida Bar and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a member of The Florida Bar is responsible.
