What is a Paralegal? According to the American Bar Association (ABA), a paralegal is a legal assistant who works under the supervision of a licensed lawyer. Most paralegals work full-time in legal firms, corporate offices or government agencies. http://www.americanbar.org/groups/paralegals/resources/current_aba_definition_of_legal_assistant_paralegal.html Primary Duties Paralegals deal with a wide range of administrative duties, such as organizing records, drafting documents and conducting intensive legal research. They must either digitally access or manually retrieve documents from courthouses. They are sometimes asked to investigate case reports and background facts in order to help attorneys prepare for court. Some paralegals accompany lawyers to court so they can coordinate witness schedules and handle documentation. The specific responsibilities of a paralegal depend on the firm and field of law in which the paralegal works. All paralegals must demonstrate high levels of productivity and attention to detail while multitasking in fast-paced environments. There are corporate, litigation, immigration, bankruptcy, family law and estate planning paralegals. …show more content…
They assist corporate lawyers who advise executives on legal matters and policy initiatives related to domestic and international operations. Corporate paralegals assist administrators, office staff, business committees and designated clients. These paralegals are expected to have at least a paralegal certificate from a college or business school. Corporate paralegals also need experience with handling government regulators and external professional organizations. They must have the demonstrated ability to deliver timely and accurate work products. Corporate litigation paralegals will manage heavy caseloads with large degrees of