Paralegals in Miami or NYC?

Is anyone out there a paralegal in the music industry in Miami or NYC? What's it like? How is the salary? Any advice on how a paralegal can get into that industry? Pros and cons? Anything else you'd like to add would be great. I'm looking into becoming a paralegal and wants some advice and opinions. I currently work for a company that provides services for a pretty big law firm so I come in contact with lawyers, paralegals, analysts, etc.

The opportunities for a paralegal really depends on the specialty. The most in demand paralegals are those in the litigation field; followed by corporate paralegals who are responsible for maintaining corporate records, articles of incorporation, etc. While the "least" markeable [but the "highest" paid] paralegals are in the field of intellectual property [i.e., patents, trademarks] and immigration law. In conclusion, choose your paralegal courses accordingly, with emphasis on litigation preparation [discovery], docketing/calendaring of incoming pleadings [calendaring] and trial preparation [creating Exhibit tabs, Bajii jury instructions, etc.]. The "pro" side of a litigation paralegal is often "unlimited" overtime which can amount to a high salary range of $65,000 to $75,000 per year, while the "downside," being constantly pressured to meet a monthly client billable quota. And failing to meet that quota, often results in the paralegal's overnight dismissal. It's not a pretty picture. I just want to lay out what really happens in the real world of litigators and their relationship with subordinate paralegals.

Good luck!

Hi, I am a Trademark Paralegal in Florida. Intellectual Property (i.e., trademarks, patents, copyrights, domain names) is a very hot field, but not in Florida/Miami! I bring home a good salary, but job hopping is not an option here. New York, Washington DC, and California, on the other hand, are full of jobs for the IP paralegal.

I am not sure what job responsibilities would be required of a paralegal in "the music industry," in either NYC or Miami, but I can tell you that if you want to work in Miami, you should enroll in an accredited paralegal school and earn your certification, because the state is considering making it mandatory that all paralegals in the state be certified. Your coursework should include intellectual property, specifically copyright and trademark law, in additional to the general litigation courses. I would guess that if you worked in-house, you would need to know some corporate/contract law as well. Again, this is not my bailiwick, so I recommend you contact a paralegal school and speak with a counselor to make sure you are headed in the right direction as far as your studies are concerned.

New York employers will accept a 4-year degree and/or a paralegal certification, so if you don't have a 4-year degree, you will definitely need the certification. You will make more, of course, in NYC, but the cost of living is higher -- it all averages out.

Expect to make more money in a law firm than in-house; in a law firm you are a cash-cow; in-house, you are a cash "drain", and no overtime would be available if you needed or wanted it.

I hope I was of some help. Good luck to you!