A paralegal is a legal professional who works under the supervision of a lawyer and performs tasks such as legal research, drafting legal documents, and assisting with client communication. Paralegals and legal assistants perform a variety of tasks to support lawyers, including maintaining and organizing files, conducting legal research, and drafting documents. The duties of paralegals can vary depending on the law firm, but they can include:
- Collaborating with other legal professionals at private law firms and government agencies.
- Conducting client interviews to gather information about legal cases.
- Keeping the law firm on track by being a "deadline cop" who ensures that everyone meets deadlines.
- Specializing in different areas of law, such as corporate law, personal injury, bankruptcy, immigration, family law, and real estate.
- Having a basic understanding of computer systems and software, such as creating presentations, navigating document management software, and using legal research tools like LexisNexis.
Paralegals cannot provide legal advice or represent clients in court, but they play an important role in the legal profession by providing support to lawyers and helping to ensure that legal matters are handled efficiently and effectively.
