No. But, compliance will kill you. Regulatory stuff is hot right now and a lot of my friends are doing it - they want to go into trading and it's nearly impossible for them to be taken seriously.
How about Jr. trader or trading assistant positions. I don't know what they do, but there are a lot of openings.
MBFCC is hiring. But yes, trading assisant positions would be your best route. Just don't approach it as though it's an impossible feat. Firms hire assistant traders everyday, just apply to every one of them. Think of your search as your first trade - if you can't pull the trigger, then you'll never make any money. Seems like you want to be a trader so badly that you can't force yourself to face the possible reality of not getting hired, so instead you come onto a posting board to opine about it. Seems no different to me than the trader who lets all his gains turn into losses - being so afraid of a loss that he ends up seeking it out.
Well, I am locked in to a one year clerkship, which ends in July. So I haven't really had the oppertunity to apply. I am starting to do some research now. In the past, however, I applied to every major wall st. firm and got rejected from all of them.
Save every penny - move in with roomates in BKLYN. Quite your job (or leave when it ends) and apply to jobs that are looking for right now... Seems like your just sticking your toes in the water. This will hurt you since you aren't going to putting your highest level of effort when pitching yourself to these firms. Frankly, you need to just read this board and not apply to any assistant jobs until you ready to start on short notice.
You buy your way in or work for a real firm - ie, one where profitable trading actually takes place - not arcades, and not 50,000 mile view long-term fundamental hedge funds.
MBFCC is MBF Clearing Corp. Mark Fisher's firm (author of The Logical Trader and ACD System). Thier Director of Trading is looking for an assistant. Note: The fact that you are working as a paralegal is very unappealing. You'd be better-served walking into an interview and saying, "I just quit my job and I only want to trade for a living, from now until I'm 80."