Paralegal Career Objectives

Paralegals are an important part of the legal system in the United States. Paralegals participate in all aspects of the legal process, whether it is a corporation, government agency, nonprofit or law office. If you want to pursue this career path, here's what you need to know.

Definition

According to the American Bar Association, a paralegal "performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible."

Duties

Paralegals assist attorneys with their work, but cannot engage in the active practice of law. They may research facts or laws, write memorandum regarding their research, organize documents into binders, and prepare or change documents according to an attorney's instructions.

Law Firms

Law firms hire a large proportion of paralegals. Because there are varying sizes of law firms and specializations, paralegals who work in law firms may have radically different career objectives. Paralegals who work primarily on appeals, for instance, will spend significantly more time researching than paralegals who work on litigation, who will spend more time preparing for depositions and doing more fact-finding.

Judges and Government Administration

Paralegals working for judges help conduct research and organize cases for the judges.
Paralegals working in government administration help conduct legal research and fact-finding, write memorandum, and organize interactions between the government and a private individual.

Certification

Generally, paralegals do not need to be certified to practice. Paralegals can begin working with no degree, with a two-year associate's degree or with a four-year bachelor's degree.

Resources

• Department of Labor Information on Paralegals
• American Bar Association Standing Committee on Paralegals
• California Paralegal Certification Requirements

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