What does paralegal do?
In order for us to understand the duties or what a paralegal do, we might as well know the description of what a paralegal is first.
These people are the right hand of the lawyers in a law office firm. They are also called legal assistants who help the lawyer in any type of needs – that is what a paralegal do. To summarize some of the things that a paralegal do in the office, please see the information below:
• Preparation for corporate meetings of the lawyer.
• Preparing for the files, paper works and things needed by the lawyer in a hearing.
• Organizes the things inside the law office.
• Answer queries of potential clients through phone.
• Prepares drafting of reports.
• Arranges the lawyer’s schedule.
• Serves as an acting lawyer whenever the lawyer is not around to assist concerns in the law firm.
• To keep safe every file of the clients handled by the lawyer.
• Writing and sending notices to the clients via email or written letter.
• Fact checking / investigating
• Researching
• Help the lawyer to analyze the facts from the documents and other materials. However, the last judgment will always be of the lawyer’s
• Monitoring deadlines
• Acts as the law firm’s liaison officer.
There are two different kinds of paralegal based on their field of work. Depending on their location, a paralegal will do a specific set of obligations.
Paralegal under the public sector
What a paralegal do under the public sector is – their job focuses on those people who are mostly in need of legal service, but could not afford to pay. This will include people who do not have a stable income and elderly people who do not have a job anymore. Other than this, here are the different sets of obligations of what a paralegal do in a public sector. See the list below:
1. Work with a government agency that requires help in analyzing materials for legal use.
2. Preparing policies.
3. Study laws and regulations and how it should be implemented.
4. Acts a representative to clients during hearings.
Paralegal under the private sector
These are the types of paralegal who are made to do legal work in private companies or corporations. Here, the paralegal may be asked to give advices about shareholder’s contracts, employment contracts, as well as the benefit plan reports for the company
Restrictions to what a paralegal can do
Although these legal assistants are hired to perform duties that involve legal matters, they also have some restrictions to follow which is stated by the ABA or the American Bar Association. A paralegal can only do tasks that do not require too much knowledge about the laws and how to apply it. Their judgment will not be counted inside the court, which is why no paralegal can do such things as stating something in court trials or give out legal advices as well.
