You've probably heard the word being used, but if you don't understand what exactly a paralegal is or does, you aren't alone. This article will by comparison everything you need to know about the profession.
Just What is a Paralegal?
Another title for paralegal is "legal assistant" and this is possibly more revealing. It normally requires two years of studying to become a paralegal and these two years allow the man to do many of the more mundane tasks that a lawyer would normally undertake. While not an actual lawyer, the assistant is legally allowed to accomplish some of the same work.
You`ll often see ads for this type of work, since lawyers often hire a paralegal to work in their office. Larger law firms will have some working, each one taking on the jobs from some lawyers.
What a Paralegal Does
The work that is done by a legal assistant is varied. Essentially, the assistant is helping out a lawyer, or often some lawyers, by taking over some of the repetitive jobs or things that would be a waste of time for the higher paid professional. It`s still a good way to earn money, but without all the education required to become an attorney.
Let's look at what a paralegal cannot do first. They cannot do anything that would be determined practicing law, including:
Giving legal advice
Setting fees
Acting as counsel in a courtroom
That being said, there is a vast area of tasks that are legally allowed and these are where the legal assistant will focus his or her attention while working for a law firm. The majority of this involves work that a lawyer could do but naturally doesn't have time for.
Investigations are the traditional area of need. Looking witnesses, Looking for previously decided court cases similar to the one at hand, and doing all manner of research complex in court cases is something that the attorney will not normally be complex in. So, they turn this work over to their assistants.
In addition, all the paperwork that goes along with these investigations will be taken on by the paralegal. This involves typing up reports, preparation court motions and even working on contracts and agreements that will later be approved by the lawyers.
What a Paralegal Needs to Know
While not authentically a lawyer, the paralegal will be studied in court procedure since he or she will often be present while cases to provide the accurate paperwork and reports for the attorney. This is a great help, since the attorney can focus on the actual presentation and the papers and reports are handed to him or her as needed, in the accurate order. This requires an widespread knowledge of how everything works in the courtroom, from court motions to draft pleadings, all of which are taught while those two years.
The majority of the work that a paralegal does is paperwork. While this could be boring, it does involve some enthralling cases and requires comprehension most of the legal proceedings that will occur. This is the part that can be enthralling and enthralling and is the main presuppose population select this profession.
Paralegals are a very foremost part of the legal system. Without them, lawyers would be required to do all the grunt work themselves and this would leave very itsybitsy time for taking statements and prepping witnesses for the actual court cases. It's a job that requires skill, training and the quality to work hard and accurately. It`s not for the faint of heart, but many population enjoy the challenge.
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