Paralegal

What is a paralegal and what does he or she do? A paralegal is essentially a person who assists a lawyer in a general or specific capacity. The job is explicitly defined as a non-lawyer who cannot offer legal help, but who can provide assistance to a lawyer. A paralegal is not a court official, nor are they necessarily subject to the same government or court-sanctioned rules of conduct.

A paralegal usually works under the direct supervision of a lawyer, or may be called upon to do research work. It's interesting to note that there is no universal standard as to what a paralegal should be. Though practically every jurisdiction will recognize an official "paralegal", there is no consistency as to what that paralegal will be doing, what qualifications they need, what the terms of employment are, or what training is necessary. Therefore, the firms and lawyers hiring paralegals will determine qualifications and job descriptions depending on their needs and their own opinions.

A paralegal cannot actually give legal advice or set fees, or make any important judicial decisions. If such a worker attempted to do this, they would be violating the unauthorized practice of law statutes. Paralegal training is not anything like law education. Paralegal training is often seen as niche-oriented, whereas law training tends to be formal and far more comprehensive as to the judicial system. Whereas a lawyer must analyze and strategize his or her case, a paralegal merely carries out specified tasks that arise from an attorney's taking on a case.

In the U.S., there is no licensing for paralegals. Instead, some paralegals are certified or registered, though this is largely a voluntary step, and one that may attract the attention of a hiring lawyer. A certified paralegal may indicate to a hiring lawyer that the applicant meets with local "standards." Though not officially recognized, two organizations offer certification for paralegal training: the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) and the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA). It should be noted that though graduating from a program or certification course does not actually certify an official paralegal.

In recent years, some states have started to introduce licensing requirements for paralegals in an effort to maintain quality. However, this form of licensing is primarily about maintaining higher standards and not about officially designating a paralegal to work in the legal profession.