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Graduate Paralegal Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Paralegal

Los Angeles, CA · Hybrid

$44 - $49/hr

... graduate students. Since 2009, the university has operated an academic health system known as Keck ... This position will provide paralegal-level support with managing litigation, responding to ...

Paralegal

Burlingame, CA · On-site

$6.0K - $7.0K/mo

ENTRY LEVEL PARALEGAL Cotchett, Pitre, & McCarthy seeks entry level paralegal for its Burlingame ... College graduate with a 2- or 4-year degree. This is an exciting opportunity to obtain exceptional ...

New

$70K/yr

Successful completion of a Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in any field, or a L.L.B. or J.D. for the ...

New

$70K/yr

Successful completion of a Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in any field, or a L.L.B. or J.D. for the ...

New

Graduate education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. OR Experience You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent ...

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Showing results 1-20

Graduate Paralegal information

See California salary details

$33.1K

$70.4K

$107.1K

How much do graduate paralegal jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 2, 2026, the average yearly pay for graduate paralegal in California is $70,442.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $53,800.00 and $88,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a graduate paralegal?

Graduate Paralegals are individuals who have recently completed their undergraduate degree, often with a focus on law or a related field, and are starting their careers by providing legal support within law firms, corporations, or government agencies. They assist lawyers by conducting research, drafting documents, organizing files, and handling administrative tasks. This entry-level role offers valuable practical experience and exposure to legal procedures, which can be beneficial for those considering law school or a long-term legal career. Graduate Paralegals play a crucial role in helping legal teams operate efficiently and effectively.

What does a graduate paralegal do?

As a Graduate Paralegal, you can expect to support attorneys by conducting legal research, drafting and proofreading documents, organizing case files, and managing deadlines. You may also assist with client communication, prepare court forms, and help coordinate filings or discovery processes. The role often involves working closely with both legal and administrative teams, providing hands-on exposure to various areas of law and courtroom procedures. This variety helps build foundational skills and can lead to further advancement within the field.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a graduate paralegal?

To thrive as a Graduate Paralegal, you need a solid understanding of legal principles, research skills, and typically a law degree or paralegal qualification. Familiarity with legal research databases like Westlaw or LexisNexis, as well as document management systems, is commonly required. Attention to detail, strong organization, and effective communication are vital soft skills in this role. These competencies ensure accurate legal support, efficient case management, and valuable contributions to the legal team.

What is the difference between Graduate Paralegal vs Paralegal?

AspectGraduate Paralegal
Required CredentialsTypically a recent law or paralegal studies graduate, sometimes with a certificate
Work EnvironmentEntry-level, supervised legal support roles in law firms, corporate legal departments, or government agencies
Employer & Industry UsageOften used for individuals starting their legal careers, seeking experience before becoming a full paralegal
Common Search & ComparisonCompared to Paralegal for understanding entry-level roles and career progression

The main difference is that a Graduate Paralegal is an entry-level position for recent graduates, focusing on gaining practical experience, while a Paralegal typically requires more experience and handles more complex legal tasks. Both roles are common in legal settings, but the Graduate Paralegal is often a stepping stone toward becoming a fully qualified Paralegal.

What are popular job titles related to Graduate Paralegal jobs in California?

For Graduate Paralegal jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Graduate Paralegal jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Graduate Paralegal jobs in California are:

Infographic showing various Graduate Paralegal job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% As Needed, 76% Full Time, 19% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $70,442 per year, or $33.9 per hour.

Coordinator, Paralegal Program

The California State University

Hayward, CA • On-site

$65 - $80/hr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted yesterday

New


California State University rating

7.9

Company rating: 7.9 out of 10

Based on 46 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

213th of 628 rated colleges and universities


Job description

Job no: 561207
Work type: Staff
Location: East Bay
Categories: Unit 7 - CSUEU - Clerical and Administrative Support Services, Administrative, Probationary, Full Time

PLEASE NOTE: The starting salary placement depends on qualifications and experience and is anticipated to be in the range of $5,797.00 per month to $7,207.00 permonth (Step 1 - Step 12).

Cal State East Bay offers a broad range of benefits that includes medical, dental, vision, retirement (CalPERS), 401k, 457, 403(b), dependent and health care reimbursement accounts, life insurance, vacation and sick, 14 paid holidays, one personal holiday and tuition fee waiver.
For more information on the benefits program, please visit our benefits website. The CSU Total Compensation Calculator demonstrates the significance of our benefits package.

Administrative Analyst/ Specialist Exempt II

About Cal State East Bay

Cal State East Bay's beautiful main campus is located in the Hayward hills with panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay shoreline. Situated above the city of Hayward, the campus offers an ideal setting for teaching and learning and yet easy access to the many cities along the bay. The University has a satellite campus in Concord, a professional development center in Oakland and a significant presence online. Founded in 1957, Cal State East Bay is one of 23 universities of the California State University system (CSU). Cal State East Bay is recognized as a regionally engaged and globally oriented university with a strong commitment to academic innovation, student success, engaged and service learning, diversity, and sustainability.

About the Position

Please Note: Review of applications will begin onSeptember 10, 2026.

Professional and Continuing Education (PaCE) is a self-support unit that provides educational programs to matriculated and non-matriculated students, delivered on the Hayward and Concord campuses, at other offsite locations, and online. PaCE performs many functions typically handled by specialized campus units and therefore requires strong collaboration and partnership with areas such as registration, marketing, and fee/tuition collection.

Under the direction of the Associate Dean, this position directly oversees and coordinates all aspects of the Paralegal Studies Program, including curriculum development and maintenance, recruitment/selection/training/direction of adjunct faculty, program budget decisions, student and faculty advising, and maintenance of the program's approval by the American Bar Association (ABA). This position serves as the program's ABA-designated program director of record for accreditation purposes. This position partners with the Associate Dean to oversee the Paralegal Studies program by assessing curriculum and making faculty-related decisions. Consistent with ABA Guidelines, the program coordinator is delegated the authority necessary to develop, implement, and maintain the program.

This position requires development and maintenance of strong working relationships with adjunct faculty, the Paralegal Advisory Board, legal and paralegal community partners, multiple campus departments, and the State Bar of California (for MCLE compliance), and serves as the primary operational point of contact for prospective, current, and former Paralegal Studies students. This position is the day-to-day operational lead for the program, including direct student point-of-contact responsibility for schedule, registration, and program-requirement questions.

Responsibilities
  • Evaluate existing courses and develop new courses for the Paralegal Certificate Program and MCLE (Minimum Continuing Legal Education) offerings.
  • Establish program policies and communicate them to faculty and students.
  • Conduct regular review of existing course content and syllabi to identify opportunities to update and revise materials to stay current with the paralegal profession.

Maintain American Bar Association (ABA) Approval

  • Maintain required ABA records, including adjunct faculty contracts, student files, advisor assignments, and graduate/employment data.
  • Send and review student, graduate, paralegal-utilization, and employer surveys required for ABA reporting.
  • Maintain records on courses, faculty, and the Advisory Board; write and submit all required ABA reports and interim/self-evaluation materials, including Substantive Change Reports as applicable.
  • Oversee ABA site visits and arrange for appropriate University staff, faculty, and student participation.
  • Maintain applicant, student, and alumni records.
  • Partner with the Student Services team to certify Paralegal completion/certificate records for the ABA report.

Formulate Program Budget

  • Make decisions regarding instructional material and software purchases.
  • Determine and select textbooks, instructional methods, and instructional materials.
  • Track program expenses and income; provide class rolls and instructional supplies as needed.

Oversee Program Coordination

  • Set class schedules and arrange for coverage of classes during faculty absences.
  • Coordinate classroom and Zoom/remote-instruction logistics for all Paralegal course sections.
  • Supervise the process of classroom reservations.
  • Supervise purchasing of course materials and program subscriptions.
  • Coordinate Paralegal-specific PeopleSoft grading processes each term, including working with Enrollment Services to run required reports.
  • Serve as the primary day-to-day operational point of contact for Paralegal Studies students on schedule, registration, and program-requirement questions.

Recruit, Select, Monitor, and Support Qualified Faculty

  • Identify suitable adjunct faculty candidates, interview, and hire.
  • Train and orient new instructors.
  • Review and discuss course/instructor evaluations.
  • Direct development of all program syllabi in compliance with ABA and State Bar of California requirements.
  • Direct faculty meetings and faculty professional development.
  • Inform instructors of CSUEB professional development opportunities (e.g., Quality Matters) and encourage/incentivize participation.
  • Resolve complaints and issues related to instructors, escalating to the Associate Dean as necessary.

Market Program

  • Conduct information sessions for prospective students.
  • Respond to inquiries from prospective students.
  • Work with PaCE Marketing to develop and implement market strategy.
  • Review and edit all promotional materials and brochures.
  • Liaison with state-side faculty, advisors, and career center staff to promote the Paralegal Program.
  • Conduct outreach to local community colleges and other feeder institutions to promote the program.

Legal Community Engagement

  • Liaison with the legal, paralegal, and educational communities.
  • Direct, coordinate, and maintain the Paralegal Advisory Board according to ABA guidelines, and attend/lead meetings.
  • Maintain membership and, where appropriate, leadership positions in state and local legal/paralegal associations; attend and speak at paralegal association seminars.
  • Serve as program ambassador to legal and educational communities.

Direct Student Services and Placement

  • Develop and oversee the internship program and other student career-building opportunities.
  • Promote student membership in local, state-wide, and national paralegal associations.
  • Assist current and former students with job search, resume critique, and career counseling.
  • Maintain records of job placement for ABA reporting and marketing purposes.

Organizational Citizenship

  • Maintain familiarity with general PaCE/CE policies, procedures, and programs, as well as general knowledge of Cal State East Bay policies, procedures, programs, and organization.
  • Promote and instill a strong culture of teamwork by working together safely, effectively, and respectfully with all associates.
  • Ensure continuity of services during periods of staffing shortages or unanticipated increases in unit workload.
  • Show a commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work and learning environment.
  • Other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
  • Entry to this classification requires general knowledge and skills in the applicable administrative and/or program field with a foundational knowledge of public administration principles, practices, and methods.
  • This foundation would normally be obtained through a bachelor's degree and/or equivalent training and administrative work experience involving study, analysis, and/or evaluation leading to the development or improvement of administrative policies, procedures, practices, or programs.
Required Qualifications
  • Knowledge of the academic standards of the University, programs within PaCE, and American Bar Association Guidelines for the Approval of Paralegal Education Programs.
  • Knowledge of the laws and standards of the State Bar of California for the MCLE program.
  • Ability to present professionally as a representative of the University to legal, educational, and accrediting bodies.
  • Ability to communicate with a diverse population of students and maintain positive relationships with a variety of constituencies.
  • Knowledge of, and experience with, paralegals or the paralegal profession.
  • Ability to exercise independent program, budget, and personnel decision-making authority consistent with ABA Guidelines, while coordinating effectively with PaCE's shared systems, processes, and cross-program initiatives.
  • Ability to personally manage day-to-day program operations and student-facing service — including PeopleSoft course creation/grading, Salesforce case response, and course logistics coordination — without dedicated coordinator support.
  • Must be proficient in the following software: Microsoft Suite, Google Apps, PeopleSoft, Salesforce.
Preferred Skills and Knowledge
  • Minimum of five years of practical legal experience.
  • Minimum of two years of teaching experience in higher education.
Condition(s) of Employment

Satisfactory completion of a background check (including LiveScan, as appropriate), that may include, but is not limited to: criminal records check, verification of academic credentials, licenses, certificates, credit history, professional references and/or verification of work history is required for employment. Cal State East Bay will issue a conditional offer of employment to the selected candidate, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Unsatisfactory results may also affect the continued employment of current Cal State East Bay employees who were conditionally offered the position.
All background checks are conducted through the university's third party vendor, Accurate. LiveScan is conducted through the University Police Department.

EEO Statement

All university programs and activities are open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, Cal State, East Bay provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every student and employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. The CSU complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and CSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatorypreferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.

Other Information

All California State University campuses, including Cal State East Bay, are smoke and tobacco-free. For more information, please visit our website here.
In compliance with state and federal crime awareness and campus security legislation, including The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, the Cal State East Bay Annual Campus Security Report is available here.

Sponsorship

Cal State East Bay is not a sponsoring agency for Staff or Management positions, and we are not an E-Verify employer.

Mandated Reporter

The incumbent in this position may be considered a mandated reporter under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and will be required to comply with requirements set forth in the CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

Advertised: Aug 26 2026 Pacific Daylight Time
Applications close:

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About California State University

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California State University, Fresno is one of 23 campuses in the California State University System. The University's mission is to boldly educate and empower students for success through our values of Discovery, Diversity and Distinction. The current student population is more than 25,000, including a large percentage of students with diverse and culturally rich backgrounds. The University serves the San Joaquin Valley while maintaining deep involvement with the state, nation, and across the globe.

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Colleges, universities, and professional schools

Company size

1,001 - 5,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Long Beach, CA, US