Reader Question: Should I Get a Job as a Paralegal Between College and Law School?



“The question of whether to seek a job as a paralegal between college and law school to 

bolster one’s candidacy is one that is very commonly asked of our former admissions 

officers here at inGenius Prep,” said David Mainiero, the head of the JD & BA Divisions 

at inGenius Prep. Mainiero explains that while a paralegal job can be a good introduction 

to “big law” firm life or to the legal profession in general, admissions officers tend to 

see a lot of applicants with such a background. Thus, while it is certainly not a mark 

against someone to be a paralegal, it is not always the strong indication of interest in 

law that candidates hope it will be when they decide to take a year between college and 

law school to take such a job. “Our former admissions officers at inGenius Prep almost 

uniformly advise students to try to get a legal job that is more interesting that might set 

them apart from the pack,” Mainiero elaborated. 


For instance, a candidate who worked at the ACLU or the Save the Rainforest Coalition’s 

Legal Department for a year probably has a much more interesting range of experiences 

than someone who just defaulted to becoming a paralegal. However, there are certainly

upsides to being a paralegal such as making connections with partners at a firm that you 

might come back to for a summer associate position and an eventual full-time job. These are all 

considerations that the candidacy-building program at inGenius Prep can help you wade

through in order to make the most informed decision for you and your legal career.