Is There A Definitive Paralegal Job Description

May 8th, 2010 by admin

Paralegals normally handle the day to day tasks in legal firms that free up attorneys for other duties. A paralegal job description is not one standard document as it will vary dependant on a number of factors but it is safe to say that nearly all include document preparation and case management.

The best paralegals are specialists in one particular area of law and therefore a broad range of organisational, management, clerical skills are required.

Their role can be defined as a person who is employed by a law office, corporation, government agency or other entity who is qualified by education, work experience or training to perform delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer has responsibility.

They provide legal services cheaper than attorneys which is a bonus for many law firms effectiveness. It should be noted that they are not qualified to give legal advice to clients and the sole responsibility for their work lies with their supervising attorney.

Because there is no standard job description, the type of work that you do will depend on the type of practice you work in and the situations that arise therein. Generally, they do legal research, write pleas, acquire affidavits and assist layers in court.

You will need to be qualified, however, and have either a 2 year associates degree or a 4 years bachelors degree. It is advisable to get an internship with a legal firm whilst still studying as this first hand experience will be invaluable and make it easier to find a job once you have graduated.

Regardless of which part of the industry you work in, be it private law firm, government agency or in the corporate field, you will need to show that you are organised, I. T. Literate and possess both excellent oral and written communication skills.

The outlook is promising but remember that you will have a better chance to have the necessary skills to perform varied tasks even without a formal paralegal job description if you specialise in a particular area of law over those without any specialism.

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