I am making a mid-life career change and would welcome suggestions and advise.

I have a BA in journalism and a great deal of business experience in marketing, sales, customer service and things of that nature. I am enrolled in a paralegal program at a local college, which I will complete in a year. In the meantime I'd like to start working in the legal field to start my shift, with the hopes of growing into a paralegal job once my education is complete next year.

I am wondering if anyone has done this and can share how they worked it out. I also am interested in hearing from lawyers, paralegals or legal administrative professionals who can share any advise or insight with me. I live in the Chicago area so there are a ton of firms out there - I'm just not sure how best to approach them.

Thanks!

While most will be paralegals, or bar grads who have not passed bar yet to do research and others with experience.
But there are those that have people who answer the phones, do filing, make copies. Some of the large "chain" firms that do bankrutpcy for example have dozens of people who do scanning to computer, answer phones and pull and put files away. You contact as many firms as you can every day and keep contacting and contacting and contacting