Paralegal Job Description Information

Some duties that seem general to the paralegal/legal assistant career are: researching for cases, preparing reports, writing documents and managing case files. These duties may have different specifics depending on the area of specialization, the employer and the size of the organization. The only things a paralegal can't do within the legal field are tasks that would be considered "practicing law." These tasks would be restricted to a lawyer.

 

Researching for Cases

• Researching for cases may consist of interviewing clients or and others associated with the case, looking through public records, obtaining documents needed for the case, examining evidence in criminal cases, finding precedents and keeping track of laws related to their specialty, and performing inspections. Here's an example of how a general duty may vary depending on area of specialization: an intellectual property paralegal will search through records at the Patent and Trademark Office whereas a corporate paralegal may have to search for name availability of a new business or corporation, but both are searching public records.

Preparing Reports

• Reports that may need to be made include reviewing and summarizing documents, summarizing progress made on case to attorney and filing documents per regulations to government agencies. A collections paralegal may have to record entries on a judgment account worksheet. A construction paralegal might be responsible for preparing a financial analysis.

Writing Documents

• Paralegals may write documents such as lease or stockholders agreements, contracts between clients and other businesses, and release forms on behalf of businesses and organizations. Paralegals may also be responsible for keeping minutes for meetings, writing letters to the client and other parties, and drafting various types of motions such as change of venue and writ of assistance.

Managing Case Files

• Managing case files may consist of creating and maintaining a database of documents from outside contacts or activities of a business, and keeping logs of projects and documents. A litigation paralegal may have to keep up with dates and deadlines. An appellate may be required to keep an index of materials from the court trial.

Not Another Administrative Assistant

• A paralegal or legal assistant is not the office worker who is in the background of most of the work. The paralegal or legal assistant works alongside the attorney, is often in the public eye, including in the courtroom, and must be well-versed in the law. However, a paralegal or legal assistant may also be required to perform office work, and should be capable in that area as well.

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Paralegal Salary Information

A paralegal career is an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in working in the legal field who does not want to become a lawyer. Paralegals work in nearly all aspects of the law, can specialize in a wide variety of areas and can assist lawyers with much of the work that they do. The career generally requires an associate's degree in paralegal studies, or a bachelor's degree in a related field such as criminal justice and certification as a paralegal.

 

Function

• Paralegals prepare reports and correspondence, check legal forms for accuracy, organize and track files and prepare declarations and complaints. They can assist in drafting many legal documents such as contracts, mortgages and trusts. Paralegals research records, laws and prior case decisions; locate and interview witnesses and participate in investigations. They help prepare legal arguments, draft motions and pleadings, and assist the lawyers during trials. Job duties a paralegal cannot legally perform include giving legal advice, setting fees, accepting cases, representing clients and presenting cases in court.

Identification

• Starting paralegals often perform a great deal of administrative duties such as retrieving and filing documents, and even photocopying. Within a few years, however, they are given more creative and interesting tasks and work more independently. Median starting salary for paralegals is about $34,700, with an increase after five years to around $43,600. They usually are paid hourly, which is of benefit because paralegals often work overtime, including nights and weekends, and receive extra compensation for those hours. Starting paralegals willing to work many extra hours can easily make an extra $5,000 or more a year.

Types

• With experience, paralegals can enjoy higher salaries, depending on the type of firm they work for and their specialty. Hospitals pay paralegals a median salary of about $46,300. Specialization in intellectual property and trademark law have median salaries of $50,000 to $55,000, and insurance law at $50,000. Paralegals who advance to senior and supervisory positions also command higher salaries than the median. A senior litigation paralegal generally makes around $59,000, senior corporate paralegal $63,000 and a paralegal coordinator approximately $72,000. Paralegals in family law, non-profit agencies and the government make the lowest median salary at about $38,000.

Considerations

• In general, the larger the organization, the higher the pay. This is true in organizations from corporations to medical facilities to law firms. Firms with over 500 lawyers pay significantly better than smaller ones, with a median salary of at least $53,000 and sometimes much higher. In addition, large law firms obtain a great deal of the complex litigation work and have more financial resources to work with on cases. For people who enjoy specializing, a large corporation or law firm offers better opportunities, where a paralegal might not only specialize in labor law but in an even narrower focus such as employee benefits or worker's compensation cases. For those who like a wider range of subjects to work on, a small firm is a better option, although the pay is significantly lower, and the work typically requires more clerical duties. Small firms often have a combination paralegal and legal secretary position.

Potential

• In 2006, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 70 percent of paralegals worked at private law firms, with the others mainly employed in corporate legal departments and the government. In the federal government, the Department of Justice is the largest employer of paralegals, along with the Department of the Treasury and the Social Security Administration. Paralegals can also find opportunities in insurance companies, banks, real estate agencies and title firms.

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How to Become a Paralegal

Paralegals assist attorneys by conducting research, writing reports and doing other preparatory work related to closings, hearings and trials. Education and certification are highly valued in this career.

1. Ask your high school guidance counselor for recommendations of institutions offering paralegal certificates and degrees.
2. Obtain the school catalogs and check whether the paralegal programs are approved by the American Bar Association (ABA); some are not. If most of the lawyers in your area prefer ABA-approved college programs, don't even consider other offerings.
3. Decide whether to complete a paralegal certificate program for high school graduates, or a two-year or four-year college paralegal program. Be aware that many paralegals today are receiving at least a bachelor's degree, especially if they want to work for larger organizations.
4. Visit several schools you are considering. Be certain that they're known for being able to arrange a variety of internships for their students.
5. Choose an area of legal specialty if you would like to work for a large law firm or the government. Possibilities include corporate law, criminal law, patent and copyright law, and real estate law.
6. Become proficient in online computer research and legal software programs. A good portion of your work will be done in front of a computer screen.
7. Plan to eventually become certified by the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) through a Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) designation. This will put you on a faster career track. Visit the NALA Web site (nala.org) for certification information. Note: Don't confuse this with a certificate program offered in a school.

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