What Does a Paralegal Do?
Paralegals are employed in law firms, courts, government agencies, public and private agencies, corporations, financial institutions, insurance companies, title companies, and real estate offices.
A Paralegal may also be termed a "Legal Assistant." According to the American Bar Association, a paralegal or legal assistant is a person who is qualified through education, training or work experience to perform substantive legal work that requires knowledge of legal concepts and is customarily, but not exclusively, performed by a lawyer.
Typical tasks which Paralegals, under the supervision of an attorney, may perform:
- Research factual and legal issues
- Interview clients and witnesses
- Prepare pleadings, subpoenas, wills, contracts, and other legal documents
- Draft and review contracts, deeds, mortgages, leases, and other legal documents
- Prepare for and attend real estate closings
- Prepare documents concerning corporations, partnerships, and business enterprises
- Gather facts and prepare documents and forms for family law practice
- Gather information in preparation for lawsuits
- Digest and index information obtained prior to trial
- Maintain complex dockets and files, both manually and on a computerized basis, for availability to attorneys
- Prepare for criminal trials and assist attorney in the prosecution or defense of criminal cases
- Utilize computer literacy skills
- Paralegals employed in specific areas of law can do many additional tasks:
Bankruptcy, Business Organization, Family Law, Litigation, Probate Law, Real Estate Transactions
Paralegals can perform many of the tasks lawyers perform but cannot
- Give legal advice
- Sign legal documents
- Represent clients in a court of law
- Set legal fees
Professional Involvement
Paralegals are valued members of the legal community. The Dayton Bar Association, Ohio Bar Association and the American Bar Association have recognized this fact by offering memberships in their associations to Paralegals. The Greater Dayton Paralegal Association (GDPA) awards a deserving Paralegal student with a scholarship on Paralegal Day each year.
The challenge of the Paralegal career area is as broad as the law itself. The Sinclair Paralegal Program has been developed to provide training that can meet this challenge.
