What is a paralegal?

Paralegals are persons qualified by work experience, training and education who perform legal work. Paralegals are not lawyers but their job is to assist lawyers in their work. Paralegals are usually in charge with the research that lawyers might need for their cases. Using the paralegal's report, a lawyer can easily prepare his case. Paralegals can have different duties. They write mortgages, and contracts, and they also help to prepare such financial documents as income tax returns.

 

A paralegal's duties also include research, interviewing witnesses and clients, attending court, filing, typing etc. As a paralegal you can choose to work in various places including private companies, enforcement bodies and police forces, criminal and civil courts, the public sector, law firms, etc. If you consider becoming a paralegal you should also be aware of the varying qualifications you may need.

 

Employers usually require the following: work experience, law degree, foundation degree in legal studies, a paralegal qualification, etc. There are various organizations from which you can obtain paralegal qualifications including the Institute of Paralegals, ILEX with City & Guilds and the National Association of Licensed Paralegals. Other jobs like this one include: law clerks, appraisers, investigators, examiners, claims adjusters, searchers, title examiners, abstractors, occupational health and safety technicians and specialists.