The Benefits of Being a Paralegal

Paralegals handle paperwork, organize the office, maintain and update client files, monitor the calendar, and research, write, and read. They serve as a liaison with clients, witnesses, other case participants, and outside professionals by gathering and imparting information. They meet, inform, interview, and prod to action. In addition paralegals seek out people, documents, and information, and compile and digest the information they gather. They write reports, negotiate with various parties, reassure and even do some measure of "hand-holding." They follow through on factual research and investigation, locating people, documents, and hard evidence as required.
 

Paralegals with good number skills find themselves doing asset in ventories, income projections, and various other detailed tasks connected with the administration of wills, trusts, and estates. They may find themselves intimately involved with the financial aspects of matrimonial and child-custody cases.

Paralegals with excellent computer skills may find themselves producing spreadsheets and documents of various sorts. They may design forms which serve to expedite the work of the office and which make organization of information much more efficient. These computer-literate paralegals will find themselves at an advantage in using computer-assisted legal research programs and in producing the results of their research.

Paralegals with a strong research and investigational background will find challenge in tracking down hard-to-find information. They will develop a knack for finding the right people to ask the right questions about where to locate certain documents; about how, where, and when to file important court-related papers; about how to find missing witnesses, defendants, and clients using existing private help or public information sources from within the state, local, and federal governments.

Modern, competent paralegals are not afraid to do legwork outside the office or to get their hands covered with ink as they exploit information centers like police stations, libraries, and government offices. They will do whatever must be done to serve the client and the firm.

In exchange for the professional discretion and independence which paralegals are now given comes a demand for more training and greater job skills than ever before. The need for better-educated paralegals has given rise to the paralegal training industry. Attorneys take graduates of paralegal training programs and further indoctrinate them in methods, procedures, and requirements of the specific practice. There are also many continuing education courses in which paralegals can gather extra credits and add to their existing job skills and overall marketability.

As you gain in experience, you will be expected to do more work in less time, to handle more clients, to keep track of more files, to assist with court preparation and appearances, and generally to cover more cases. Attorneys will expect you to know more, to do more, and to think more for yourself. You will use more initiative, work more on your own, and supervise others as well.

Clearly, a paralegal is a professional, but a professional caught in a paradox. The paralegal has the independence of function and the responsibility of a professional but the status of a production worker. This paradox arises from the requirement that a paralegal always work under the supervision of an attorney. By this requirement attorneys are protected from intrusion upon their turf, from your unauthorized practice of law. From your standpoint, it means that you are protected from any ill results arising from your own errors. Since you work under the attorney's supervision, the attorney takes final responsibility for your actions. Of course your career can suffer from excess errors on your part, but you are never legally liable. This is clearly a benefit to you.

A further benefit of your status is financial. Paralegals are clearly the most professional of all workers who are classified in the "non-exempt" category. A worker who is classified as an exempt professional is paid a salary and is expected to work whatever hours are necessary to achieve a result. The professional often works far in excess of a normal forty-hour work week in order to fulfill professional responsibilities. The non-exempt worker, on the other hand, must, by law, be paid at overtime rates for work beyond the standard work week. Since paralegals are often called upon to put in many overtime hours-weekends, all-night stands, and just plain extra hours-the job becomes very lucrative. In short, paralegals may earn a lot of money.

The financial reward more than makes up for the lack of status and for the occasional snobbish disdain you may encounter. The further payoff comes with the tremendous self-satisfaction you feel when a matter settles and you know you played a major part.

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