Presentation: Careers in Paralegal

Tuesday, 9/23/2025
6:30 - 7:30

Gain an in-depth understanding of the paralegal profession with Michael Schiraldi, a paralegal faculty member at San Francisco State University and a practicing paralegal at Fox Rothschild LLP. In this session, Michael walks you through the core responsibilities of paralegals, including legal research, document drafting, case management, and supporting attorneys in trial preparation. 

Michael discusses the skills needed to succeed in the field, such as legal writing, attention to detail, and knowledge of legal procedures. He also explores the educational pathways into the profession, including programs like SFSU’s Paralegal Studies program, and the importance of certifications like those offered by the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA). 

This session provides valuable insights into the career opportunities and professional development available for paralegals, with a focus on networking and involvement in organizations like the San Francisco Paralegal Association and the California Alliance of Paralegal Associations. 

This program is part of the Career Insights series.


Equip job seekers with effective tools and strategies to advance their careers.

Prepare for college or a new job with related workshops and skill building.


This program is sponsored by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library.


Attending Programs

All programs are drop-in (no registration necessary) unless otherwise noted. All SFPL locations are wheelchair accessible. For accommodations (such as ASL), call (415) 557-4557 or contact accessibility@sfpl.org. Requesting at least 3 business days in advance will help ensure availability.

This program will be conducted in English unless otherwise noted.

Notice: This event may be filmed or photographed. By participating in this event, you consent to have your likeness used for the Library’s archival purposes and promotional materials. If you do not want to be photographed, please inform a staff person or the photographer. A sticker will be provided to help identify you so that we can avoid capturing your image.


Public Notice and Disclaimer

This program uses a third-party website link. By clicking on the third-party website link, you will leave SFPL's website and enter a website not operated by SFPL. This service may collect personally identifying information about you, such as name, username, email address, and password. This service will treat the information it collects about you pursuant to its own privacy policy. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of each third-party website or service that you visit or use, including those third parties with whom you interact through our Library services. For more information about these third-party links, please see the section of SFPL’s Privacy Policy describing Links to Other Sites.

The views and opinions expressed in programs presented by groups unaffiliated with SFPL do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SFPL or the City.