Paralegal
Paralegal Career Overview
Paralegals are not qualified lawyers, and are not allowed to practice law, give legal advice, set legal fees, or present cases in course. However, they can carry out many of the duties of the lawyer that are involved in ‘behind the scenes’ preparation for court cases. While Paralegals are most often employed in law firms, they may also find work in corporations, accountancy offices and other institutions where legal services are required.
Paralegals must have excellent research skills and written and verbal communication skills. They must have a good understanding of the law, particularly if they choose to specialize. For Paralegals, education is on-going, as they must also stay involved of current legal developments.
Paralegal Training & Education
There are several different ways to get involved in Paralegal work. Many Paralegals obtain their initial qualifications at a Community College, then progress to an Associate’s degree. Alternatively, a small number of colleges offer Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Paralegal studies. Still other Paralegals begin their careers with on-the-job training rather than education. These people typically have important skills in other areas that are useful in law, such as accounting, nursing or health.
Certification is not mandatory for Paralegals, but becoming certified increases the ability to compete successfully in the job market. Certification involves education and examinations, typically through the National Association of Legal Assistants or the National Federation of Paralegal Associations.
Legal Nurse Consultants require very different training—rather than a law-oriented qualification, they must first be a registered nurse before undertaking further training. This typically comes in the form of a certification program of approximately one year that involves work in civil litigation and medical liability, as well as practical skills that are important for Legal Nurse Consultants. Once training is complete, Legal Nurse Consultants can gain certification via organizations such as the American Legal Nurse Consultant Certification Board.
Anyone interested in a Paralegal career should note that for people in these professions, education is ongoing. Paralegals are expected to keep up with law developments in their area of expertise, just as lawyers are.
Paralegal Career & Salary Outlook
Salaries for Paralegals and related positions vary widely depending on experience, education, geographical location, and the size and type of employer worked for. Depending on these factors, salary ranges from $25,000 to more than $60,000.
The US Department of Labor predicts that employment in Paralegal careers will grow much faster than the average over the next five to seven years, as employers try to reduce costs by hiring paralegals and legal secretaries rather than lawyers to carry out certain tasks.
Career Fields/Specializations
Paralegal Career
The most important tasks of the Paralegal are usually involved in helping lawyers prepare for court cases. They may be involved in preparation of closing speeches, as well as legal research and preparation for hearings and trials. Paralegals carry out research involving the identification of laws and legal decisions that are relevant to cases they are working on, and then organize this information into written reports for the lawyers they work for. They are also involved in preparing, organizing and tracking documents involved in court cases to make them accessible to lawyers.
Paralegals may also work in other settings that do not involve litigation. For example, they may work for corporations and assist an attorney in drawing up employee contracts, employee benefit plans, stock-option plans, and shareholder agreements. Paralegals often work in the public sector, where their duties vary depending on their place of employment. In general, they are involved in analyzing legal documents for internal use, carrying out research for attorneys, and collecting evidence for internal hearings.
Paralegals must have excellent written and verbal communication skills, as well as good research skills, and a good understanding of legal terminology. In addition they should have good computer skills, and be able to work with computer databases to store, organize and retrieve information.
Legal Assistant Career
Legal Assistants carry out much of the same work that Paralegals do. In law firms they assist lawyers with preparing cases, and will typically be involved in research information for assigned cases, as well as assisting in the preparation of closing speeches. They will also be involved in organizing and tracking relevant information to make it accessible to the lawyer involved in the case.
In corporations and public agencies, the duties of the Legal Assistant depend on their place of employment. In corporations they assist attorneys in preparing legal documents, and may specialize in areas of law such as employee benefits, corporate law or labor law.
Legal Assistants should have good written and verbal communication skills, research skills, and understand legal terminology. They should also have good computer skills, be able to prioritize their work effectively, and be able to work to a high degree of accuracy.
Legal Secretary Career
Legal Secretaries often play a more heavily administrative role in the law. They prepare correspondence for law professionals, and also prepare a variety of legal documents such as complaints, summonses, motions, responses and subpoenas. They are typically closely supervised by either a lawyer or a Paralegal. The Legal Secretary may also provide some assistance with legal research, but most often work in a support role to their supervisor.
Legal Secretaries should have good verbal and excellent written communication skills. They must be able to work to a high degree of accuracy, be able to work on multiple tasks, and be able to prioritize their work effectively.
Legal Nurse Consultants Career
A Legal Nurse is a registered nurse who has legal training that enables them to act as a consultant on medical-related law cases. Attorneys rarely have the medical training needed to read and understand medical records, and lack the specialized knowledge of healthcare issues that healthcare professionals have.
Legal Nurse Consultants most often work with attorneys on personal injury and medical malpractice cases, as well as other issues such as worker’s compensation. On a typical case, a Legal Nurse Consultant may review medical records, research the facts of the case, help the attorney prepare for court, and may even serve as an expert witness in a court case.
Legal Nurse Consultants should have excellent written and verbal communication skills, attention to detail, and be able to work to a high degree of accuracy. While they do not need highly specialized legal knowledge, they should have a good understanding of legal terminology and be able to integrate medical knowledge and legal knowledge when researching a case and preparing reports.
