A paralegal plays an essential role as they perform a variety of duties and substantive legal work to support lawyers and other legal departments. While paralegals cannot provide legal advice, they are very knowledgeable in many areas of law and legal matters.
Paralegals prepare documents, conduct research, and communicate with clients so lawyers can deliver better quality legal services under tight deadlines. Paralegals are highly-valued members of a legal team as they assist lawyers to focus on more pressing tasks needed to get their job done successfully.
Here we’ll go over everything a paralegal does and what it takes to become one.
Duties of a Paralegal
There are a variety of duties performed by people in the paralegal profession, and it depends on the employer. Paralegals most of the time work for law offices but could also be found in other legal departments or government agencies. The primary role of a paralegal is to provide support for a lawyer. Common duties consist of:
Drafting legal documents for court filing
Conducting legal research for case law
Checking public records
Conducting client interviews
Interview witnesses
Collecting and analyzing information
Preparing briefs and pleadings
Drafting deeds and trusts, like for real estate closings
Organizing and managing cases for law firms or other legal entities
Assisting lawyers with trials
Executions of wills
Review medical records
Summarize depositions
Difference Between Paralegal, Legal Assistant, and Law Clerk
Paralegals are professionals qualified through education and training to legal work under the supervision and guidance of an attorney. Legal assistants typically have less training and education than paralegals. Legal assistant’s duties typically involve more administrative work and customer service, whereas paralegals are more involved with cases and legal work.
The National Association of Legal Assistants added certified paralegals to address those who have passed the NALA certification exam, so the use of the title “Paralegal” is strictly for certified employees.
Law clerks are typically law students working in the legal field and will help attorneys with more complex tasks and legal matters. Since law clerks have more education and training, they are more valuable to attorneys and typically have a higher salary than a paralegal or legal assistant. Paralegals, legal assistants, and law clerks all work under the supervision of an attorney and cannot provide legal advice.
Types of Paralegals
There are many career paths a paralegal can pursue. Every legal department or law office relies on a paralegal to get the job done. Some of the law specialties for paralegals are:
Litigation Paralegal
This type of paralegal works with a litigation attorney. Litigation is the process of taking action, so this includes any area of law where the action is being taken. Litigation paralegals work in many specialized areas of law, including bankruptcy, personal injury, employment, and corporate.
In litigation, it’s common for a case to include a lawsuit where the stress is high and the pace is fast. A litigation paralegal must work well under pressure and be able to meet tight deadlines. These paralegals typically spend time assisting the attorney in the courtroom, helping keep the files organized, providing documents and evidence to the attorneys when needed, and summarizing depositions.
Corporate Law Paralegal
Corporate law paralegals work with a corporation rather than one client. This type of attorney is found in the legal department of a corporate office handling corporate taxes, employment law, mergers and acquisitions, and patents. Other duties may include reviewing contracts, and legal agreements and ensuring the business doesn’t break laws or break contracts.
This type of paralegal never is seen in the courtroom or interacting with clients. Excellent attention to detail and research skills are imperative for a corporate law paralegal.
Government Paralegal
This type of paralegal works in a government law-related setting and works on legal matters related to government agencies. The duties of a government paralegal differ depending on the type of branch they work under. They may be required to review military correspondence, government publications, charge sheets, and trial documents.
Some government paralegals develop and maintain different training materials. A government paralegal must have excellent verbal and written communication skills as they interact with various people, from higher-ranking personnel to the general public.
Real Estate Paralegal
A real estate paralegal works with all things that deal with ownership of real property. They help clients review real estate documents before purchasing a property, including filing documents. They are also involved with organizing and maintaining correspondence between the parties involved in the translation.
A real estate paralegal also deals with real estate issues such as foreclosures and zoning disputes and works with the clients to help them understand their options and find a resolution. Real estate knowledge, strong ability to research, and patience make for a great real estate paralegal.
Immigration Paralegal
An immigration paralegal assists attorneys in helping immigrants become citizens. They also help with other visa issues, political asylum, and business immigration matters. In some cases, these paralegals are lawyers in the deportation process.
Most immigration paralegals are bilingual as they work with clients from other countries that commonly speak another language. Sometimes the paralegal works as a translator for their clients. Speaking multiple languages is highly beneficial for an immigration paralegal.
Family Law Paralegal
A family law paralegal works with lawyers and the government to navigate issues between individuals that share a domestic connection. This type of law deals with divorce, separation, and annulment, which typically includes property division, child custody, and child support.
This type of paralegal also works with clients to navigate the adoption process and grandparents’ rights. In some cases, they also help clients with restraining orders and protection from abuse.
Since this area of law deals with many emotions, a great family law paralegal shows a lot of empathy, understanding, and compassion. Maintaining excellent communication with clients is an essential responsibility of a family law paralegal.
Skills and Attributes of a Paralegal
Because of the wide range of duties performed by a paralegal, certain skills and attributes make an excellent paralegal. Some skills like knowledge of various computer programs are easily learned by taking online courses. Here is what’s needed to be a great paralegal:
Strong attention to detail
Excellent communication skills both verbally and written
Impeccable organizational skills
Ability to work well under pressure
Passion for the law
Ability to meet tight deadlines
Outstanding ability to research
Great working with a team
Computer skills and experience with spreadsheets, word processing, database, and presentation software
Ability to multitask
Strong work ethics
Interpersonal skills
What Can’t a Paralegal Do?
Paralegals prepare documents but only under the supervision of an attorney. A paralegal cannot at any time provide legal advice since they are not licensed by the bar. A paralegal also cannot represent a client in court. They can only assist an attorney who is representing a client in court.
How To Become a Paralegal
Although you don’t need a degree, most paralegals and legal assistants have a paralegal studies certificate or an associate’s degree. Some education, training, or experience in the legal field is a bonus, but some employers will provide on-the-job training to educated professionals without legal experience. A staffing agency like the Pocketbook Agency will help you find your right match.
If you want to advance your career and become more valuable, you can work on obtaining paralegal certifications:
Paralegal Advanced Competency Examination (PACE) provided by the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA)
Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) or Certified Paralegal (CP) provided by the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA)
AACP certification is provided by the American Alliance of Paralegals (AAPI)
PP, ALS, or PLS certification is provided by the National Association for Legal Secretaries (NALS)
What Is a Paralegal’s Salary?
Since paralegals have more education and training than legal assistants, their salary is typically higher. The salary for a paralegal varies depending on education level, experience, geographic location, and employer; the average salary is around $52,920 per year.
Paralegal Job Outlook
Employment of paralegals has a growth projection of 12 percent from 2020 to 2030, which is higher than the average for all occupations. There are about 43,000 job openings between paralegals and legal assistants annually. The job openings are likely from the need to replace workers who have advanced their careers, such as passing the bar and becoming a lawyer, switched industries, or leaving the workforce.
Land Your Dream Paralegal Job Today
The primary role of a paralegal is to assist an attorney. They are typically found working in law offices, government agencies, or corporate offices. Paralegals gather, organize, and research large amounts of data so the attorney can produce better quality work and get the job done successfully.
A paralegal performs a wide range of duties, making the position exciting and different from day-to-day. It’s a great rewarding career with a long-term positive outlook.
Sources:
Top Picks for the 10 Best Online Paralegal Certificate Programs
NALA – The leading paralegal association
Paralegals and Legal Assistants : Occupational Outlook Handbook : US Bureau of Labor Statistics