According to the American Bar Association (ABA), a paralegal is a person qualified by education, training or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, government agency or other entity and who performs delegated legal work for which a lawyer is responsible.
They provide support for lawyers making them a valuable part of the legal system. They should perform their job under the direct supervision of a lawyer.
What does a paralegal do?
Paralegals execute a lot of errands inside and outside of office. There are some who spend eight hours a day studying contract documents. Others are occupied for more than eight hours meeting with various clients dealing with paperworks and identifying potential cases. They also assist a litigator in the courtroom from time to time. Moreover, what are the other specific tasks of a paralegal?
- Making sure that the methods taken are legally acceptable
- Conducting legal investigations and organizing evidences for the hearing
- Gathering facts and interviewing witnesses
- Organizing files and preparing legal documents to be used during the trial
- Writing reports as a guide for lawyer on how to handle a certain case
- Conducting interviews with the clients
- Attending and summarizing legal proceedings
What does a paralegal must not do?
What are the limitations of what a paralegal can do? It does include:
- Must not offer legal advice to clients
- Must not represent clients in the court for a trial
- Must not accept clients and ask for a legal fee
- Must not make an initial step to connect with the client
- Must not sign papers which would be filed in the court
What are the skills a paralegal should have?
A paralegal must have good written and communication skills to institute good connection with the clients, witnesses and partners. Likewise, he/she must have exceptional logic and problem-solving skills to to be able to solve minor and major problems in the office as well as in the court.
A paralegal should have good organizing skills to maintain an efficient office in order to keep things running smoothly for everyone.
A paralegal should be tech-savvy, meaning - someone who knows more than the basic use of a computer. Problems in technicalities cannot be avoided and a technologically-inclined paralegal would be of great help in the office. One who knows how to troubleshoot a jammed printer, or knows how to recover lost computer files.
Last but not the least, a paralegal should be people-smart because they will negotiate with clients, witnesses and partners regarding case matters. They should know what words to use for a certain situation and what approach to employ in order to establish credibility and authority.
There’s a slight difference between a lawyer and a paralegal. A lawyer has greater legal credentials, extensive education in the field and a license.
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Wise & Donahue Law Firm
10476 Armstrong Street Fairfax, Virginia 22030
10476 Armstrong Street Fairfax, Virginia 22030
