3 Tips For Legal Staffing Professionals You Can Use Today

Paralegals are legal assistants who spend most of their time assisting to manage the massive paperwork generated by legal proceedings. Paralegals file, sort, index, photocopy, and draft legal documents. They can also hold hearings and interview witnesses. Most entry level paralegals should have a four year degree, and additional certification may increase job opportunities. The duties of a paralegal rely on the firm for which the paralegal works and also the educational training and experience of the paralegal.

Many of the paralegal's services are performed directly for the benefit of a lawyer, businessperson, or government employee. These services assist the business with his or her duties. A paralegal can also work directly with the lawyer's clients, drafting necessary contracts and paperwork. Some paralegals, on the flip side, provide legal services for people that cannot afford full legal services. Typical paralegal services include preparing all kinds of court documents, planning finances, including estates with will and trust plans, and corporate services.

Paralegals prepare a range of court documents, for example motions, briefs, and depositions. Motions petition the trial judge for particular rulings favorable to the lawyer's team. Briefs are reports that describe and support the motion. Depositions consist of interviews of witnesses ahead of the trial begins. All these documents must be indexed and organized, and often must be entered into a computer, through the paralegal.

With proper coaching, paralegals may draft wills and trusts, separation agreements, and mortgages. Paralegal services may extend into real-estate by helping prepare tax returns and planning estates.

Paralegals with more business training doing work in a corporate environment can help handle bankruptcies filings, shareholder agreements, see stock option plans, benefit plans, or tax returns. Some may keep finance records for the law practice. Others may help oversee business contracts.

Since paralegal services often involve paperwork, it is critical that a paralegal be experienced in organizing and sorting information, as well as conducting research and interviews. Additional training in all these skills is available at colleges, universities, and online training programs.