An Exciting Career
Paralegals work side by with lawyers and other legal professionals. Paralegals work under the direct supervision of an attorney, drafting and preparing documents for filing. Paralegals perform legal research, assisting the attorney with trial preparation, and working with clients.
Where do paralegals work?
Paralegals work everywhere. You will find them in law offices, legal departments in financial institutions, real estate offices, government and corporations. Others like the excitement of the court room and enter litigation. There are many people with nursing and health backgrounds who prefer personal injury, or medical malpractice.
What types of duties do paralegal perform?
- Investigate facts and laws and work under with the attorney on how to prepare cases
- Gather and analyze laws or decisions that were made on similar cases.
- Analyze and organize material for cases
- Prepare written reports for lawyers and summarize their research.
- Prepare legal documents such as briefs, pleadings, wills, contracts, and other documents.
- File pleadings with court clerk.
- Use computers to locate or organize legal records.
- Collect information in preparation for lawsuits.
- Digest and index information obtained prior to trail.
- Maintain complex dockets and files, both manually and on a computerized basis, for availability to attorneys.
- Direct and coordinate office activities or workers.
Wages and Outlook
- In Delaware, the number of jobs for paralegal is expected to grow faster than average through the year 2012. The expected growth in the population should create more jobs for paralegal. Law firms are trying to meet customers’ needs and lower the costs involved in running a business.
- Wages vary by education. In general, the more education, the higher the wages. Type and size of the employer also affects wages.
- Many paralegals also receive employment benefits, including sick leave, paid vacation, health insurance, and retirement plan.