Do you have an interest in the law and the legal field? You’re not alone. Many people are looking at the legal field as a new avenue to pursue a career. And for good reason – the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects stunning growth in the legal assistant and paralegal fields through the year 2014. With the overall job outlook significantly more bleak, becoming a paralegal is a fantastic career choice.
However, what exactly is a paralegal, and what do they do all day? A paralegal typically has no set “typical day”. Their work varies widely and includes activities such as, legal research, document preparation, litigation preparation, file organization, real estate closing assistance – anything a typical lawyer would do besides representing clients, giving legal advice, or presenting cases in court.
Research typically consists of identifying relevant laws, legal precedent, articles, and any other materials that are relevant to cases their employer is working.
The paralegal may assist with court case documents such as pleadings, arguments, motions, affidavits, notaries, and anything else needed by the attorney. Here is a list of even more duties a paralegal may perform on a typical day, depending on the needs of their employer:
- Contract drafting, mortgages, entity formation, divorce or separation paperwork.
- Tax return and estate planning and preparation
- Office management, including the management of other employees or assistants
- Financial reporting
- Management of legal team and associated projects
Indeed, there is tremendous variety when it comes to the daily activities of paralegals, and many see this as a benefit. Many administrative assistants and secretaries who do a lot of mundane, repetitive tasks view the paralegal profession as a breath of fresh air.
Paralegals can even work on a contractual basis, increasing the amount of day to day freedoms they enjoy, such as scheduling their own work hours, and even working out of their own home.
The benefits of working as a paralegal are substantial.