What is a paralegal or paralegal?

You’ve probably heard the word used, but if you don’t understand what a paralegal is or exactly does, you’re not alone. This article will explain everything you need to know about the profession.

What is a Paralegal?

Another title for a paralegal is “paralegal” and this is perhaps more revealing. Two years of study are typically required to become a paralegal, and these two years allow the person to perform many of the more mundane tasks that a lawyer would normally undertake. While not an actual lawyer, the assistant is legally allowed to do some of the same work.

You will often see advertisements for this type of work, as lawyers often hire a paralegal to work in their office. Larger law firms will have several working, each taking on the jobs of several attorneys.

What does a paralegal do?

The work that a paralegal performs is varied. Essentially, the assistant is helping a lawyer, or often multiple lawyers, by taking care of some of the repetitive work or things that would be a waste of time for the highest paid professional. It’s still a good way to earn money, but without all the education needed to become a lawyer.

Let’s first look at what a paralegal cannot do. They may not do anything that is considered to be practicing law, including:

Giving legal advice
Tariff setting
Acting as a lawyer in a courtroom

With that being said, there is a wide area of ​​tasks that are legally permitted and that is where the paralegal will focus their attention while working for a law firm. Most of this involves work that a lawyer could do but simply doesn’t have the time for.

Research is the main area of ​​need. Finding witnesses, searching for previously decided court cases similar to the one at hand, and doing all kinds of investigation related to court cases is something that the attorney will generally not be involved in. So, they hand this work over to their assistants.

In addition, all paperwork that accompanies these investigations will be assumed by the paralegal. This involves typing reports, preparing court motions, and even working on contracts and agreements that will then be approved by attorneys.

What a paralegal needs to know

While not actually an attorney, the paralegal will be studied in court proceedings as they will often be present during cases to provide the correct documentation and briefings for the attorney. This is helpful as the lawyer can focus on the actual filing and the documents and reports are delivered to him as needed, in the correct order. This requires extensive knowledge of how everything works in the courtroom, from judicial motions to draft pleadings, all of which is taught during those two years.

Most of the work a paralegal does is paperwork. While this can be boring, it involves some interesting cases and requires an understanding of most of the legal proceedings that will occur. This is the part that can be challenging and interesting and is the main reason why people choose this profession.

Paralegals are a very important part of the legal system. Without them, lawyers would have to do all the hard work themselves, leaving little time to take depositions and prepare witnesses for actual court cases. It’s a job that requires skill, training, and the ability to work hard and with precision. It’s not for the faint of heart, but many people enjoy the challenge.