Job Description of a Property Paralegal
Paralegals perform legal work for a variety of parties such as law offices and government agencies under the supervision of a lawyer. One kind of paralegal is the property paralegal, who specializes in legal work related to possessions, land ownership and intellectual property. In many cases, the property paralegal is the backbone of property law.
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Function
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Real property paralegals perform activities such as conducting title searches, drafting leases, agreements and deeds of trust; performs all necessary analysis of deeds, obtains and prorates closing figures, according to Capital University Law School. Intellectual property paralegals are more specialized in intangible or creative property such as slogans and song lyrics. Intellectual property paralegals update patents and reviews trademark attribution. Property paralegals also perform a variety of administrative duties such as general paperwork, filing and back-and-forth correspondence between different parties, according to Novell.
Conditions
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Paralegals are usually given routine tasks and are not given more difficult tasks until they appear ready, though they often have a lot of pressure placed upon them to meet deadlines. The majority of the paralegal's time is spent working in the law office, though there are some cases in which paralegals have to travel to fulfill other duties such as surveying real estate. Paralegals usually work 40 hours a week, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Skills
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Some paralegals are trained on the job, through many have an educational background. Associate's degrees in paralegal studies are available and those with bachelor's degrees can get paralegal certifications. Interpersonal skills are necessary since the paralegal is often the main correspondence between various parties. Many property paralegals have to operate largely independently and have to be self-motivated. They must be flexible enough to adapt to the needs of different parties. Organizational skills and multi-tasking skills are also essential. Computer skills are almost always essential.
Outlook
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Between 2008 and 2018, the need for property paralegals is expected to grow 28 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Intellectual property paralegals have especially become more in demand because the Internet has created more opportunities for copyright violations. Businesses are also utilizing more paralegals to manage litigation.
Earnings
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The median earnings for paralegals in 2008 were $46,120, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The highest 10 percent earned more than $73,450, while the lowest 10 percent earned less than $29,260. The highest-paid paralegals work for the federal government, while some of the lower-paid paralegals worked for legal services.
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