The term « paralegal » generally refers to a person who is qualified, by education, training or work experience, to perform substantive legal work under the direction and supervision of a lawyer. The same is often true for paralegals, but the National Association of Law Assistants distinguished between the two roles in 2004. The following professional associations offer one or more paralegal designations: You do not need to be a lawyer to practise law. Two of the most common jobs in this industry are paralegals or paralegals. In this article, we discuss what a paralegal and a legal assistant are, as well as the main similarities and differences. It added « certified paralegals » to target those who passed the NALA certification exam. Other professionals can only be called « legal assistants ». Surveys in the paralegal industry have revealed an overwhelming preference among paralegals for this title over « legal assistant ». For paralegals and legal assistants, salaries depend on geographic location, experience and education. Metropolitan areas tend to pay more, but their cost of living can be higher.

Here are some of the highest-paid cities for paralegals: You can also answer basic questions about your company`s services. However, for incoming requests, take the messages and forward them to other members of the legal team. These professionals support the firm`s work in different ways. In many companies, paralegals are more closely involved in legal matters, while paralegals take on administrative tasks in addition to legal tasks. Despite these differences, job descriptions vary from job to job. An associate`s degree is enough to impress most employers. While bachelor`s degrees in areas such as paralegal studies or law are not as common, a bachelor`s degree is often preferred to aspiring and practising paralegals who want to climb the ladder and land high-level positions at large law firms. These programs often offer the opportunity to specialize in another area of law. And for each area of law, there are different types of paralegals with particular skills. Create and sign correspondence that does not include independent legal advice or opinions While paralegals are most often called upon to do « substantial » legal work, this does not mean that you will not also employ them for the general administrative tasks of a law firm, so their responsibilities overlap with those of legal assistants. These include: Most law firms use the terms « paralegal » and « legal assistant » to avoid confusion with secretarial and other support roles.

Paralegals provide technical support to lawyers and often assist with a variety of client-related tasks. They are often the secondary point of contact for clients once the lawyer is assigned to a case. Although they may perform some administrative tasks, they are more concerned with legal tasks. Here are some of the typical responsibilities of a paralegal: While paralegals do not require formal training after high school, there are training requirements for paralegals. Generally, law firms require paralegals to hold a partner`s degree or a bachelor`s degree in paralegal studies, or an independent bachelor`s degree combined with a certificate for paralegals. Approximately 58% of paralegal positions require three to five years of experience, and 35% of paralegal positions are entry-level and require zero to two years of experience.1 Working as a legal secretary is best suited for those with less experience in a law firm, 44% of job postings at the entry level (0-2 years of experience).2 Legal assistants can participate in a range of Doing the Tasks. Her most common duties include keeping lawyers` calendars, acting as a contact person for caller clients, and managing correspondence. However, the work of the legal assistant is rather administrative. They organize the trial files and organize the documents that the lawyer can review. They also schedule meetings with clients, witnesses and other parties for the lawyer and paralegal. The salary of a legal assistant also varies depending on the skill, training and company.

The average annual salary for paralegals ranges from $45,235 to $60,325. To become a paralegal, you must obtain an associate`s degree or a bachelor`s degree in paralegal studies. Alternatively, it is possible to get a paralegal job with any bachelor`s degree, provided the candidate has obtained a paralegal certificate.