What Is A Paralegal?

What is a paralegal?  A paralegal, or legal assistant, is someone who is qualified either by education, training, certification, or work experience to perform legal work on behalf of a lawyer or a legal agency.

The tasks of paralegals can vary considerably depending upon the type of organization in which the paralegal is employed.  Although lawyers are ultimately responsible for all legal work, they will usually assign many of their less specialized tasks to paralegals.

For this reason, a paralegal should have a comprehensive skill set that includes good research skills, writing skills, and interpersonal skills. Other important qualifications include the ability to apply and interpret laws, rules, statutes, precedents and regulations, the ability to evaluate specific cases, and a good knowledge of legal procedure.

The paralegal’s duties in a particular law firm may be governed by the court or another statutory authority, or they may be determined by the overseeing attorney’s judgement of a paralegal’s aptitude in a particular area.  Paralegals can be found wherever lawyers are found – in civil or criminal litigation, government, corporate settings, estate planning, and real estate.

Most paralegals are employed by law firms,  in legal departments of large corporations, or in government positions.   The demand for qualified paralegals is expected to increase in the near future, particularly in such specialty fields as immigration, copyright and intellectual property, health and medicine, environmental issues, international law, geriatric issues, and criminal justice.

Those who ask the question, “What is a paralegal?” will find that paralegals may work within almost any legal field, and may end up specializing in the the specific concentration of their employer.

In working with a lawyer, a paralegal may perform such tasks as investigating and evaluating case-related facts, analyzing legal issues, and preparing legal documents such as contracts, depositions, pleas, and memoranda.  In addition, paralegals may expedite the management of cases, interview clients, and carry out other tasks to support the lawyer in the rendition of services to his or her clients.

Once a paralegal has gained experience in a particular work environment, he or she may be eligible for promotion to the position of Paralegal Supervisor or Manager.  In most firms, the paralegal supervisor manages the caseload and workflow for the department.  He or she may also be responsible for hiring staff and completing performance evaluations.

There are several paths to becoming a paralegal.  Some paralegals are trained on-the-job, while others have completed a certification program.  In the United States, there are organizations such as the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) and the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) which offer certification to paralegals that require various combinations of education and experience. Paralegal training  opportunities may be found in community colleges, universities, and on the Internet.

So what is a paralegal and why is it a good career choice?

Paralegals and legal assistants are always in demand.  In 2008 they held about 263,800 jobs in the United States, and in May of that same year this profession boasted an average yearly salary of $48,790.  In addition, most companies that employ paralegals will offer an excellent benefits package.  This profession is a wonderful choice for those who are just starting out, or for people who are looking for a career change.