Are Paralegal Studies Right For You?
Do you desire to help others do their best? Do you enjoy researching, filing, reading, and writing? If so, consider the paralegal career.
Paralegals work for attorneys in various settings – corporations, law firms, and government agencies. They lighten the workload for attorneys and perform a wide variety of legal tasks. Paralegals are ready for anything and ensure that attorneys also are ready for the job.
One of a paralegal's most important tasks is compiling a comprehensive report on a client's case and its legal implications. Attorneys review the report to decide how to handle the case.
Intrigued? Find out if you possess the ideal characteristics, skills, work preferences, and academic interests of a paralegal.
Ideal Characteristics - Required Skills
Work Preferences - Academic Interests
Ideal Characteristics
What characteristics make a successful paralegal? Although the career enjoys much diversity, all paralegals share seven qualities. Generally, they possess an interest in law, curiosity, and a desire to help others.
Philanthropic
Paralegals work to help others. They help attorneys perform at maximum efficiency and minimal stress: they prepare reports to completely inform attorneys of the facts of a client's case and its legal implications; obtain the forms that attorneys request; and make arrangements for trial.
Responsible
Many attorneys grant paralegals substantial independence and responsibility. Paralegals are responsible for their own work and for making honest, ethical decisions.
Adaptable
Paralegals are ready for anything. They work well under pressure and stay level-headed, even if they discover a piece of evidence that complicates their entire investigation, or if their employer cuts a deadline short.
Inquisitive
Happy paralegals constantly crave more knowledge. They relish researching for days using computer databases, the Internet, law libraries, client interviews, expert opinions, and other sources.
Sharp
Paralegals wield sharp eyes and sharper minds. They research through hawks' eyes and draft legal arguments with bright minds.
Organized
Paralegals prioritize multiple cases, clients, and responsibilities at a time while also organizing research and files into easy-to-read formats for others.
Confident
Paralegals recognize their vital role in the legal system. They allow attorneys to substantially increase clients, efficiency, and availability. Confident paralegals are capable of working with eminent attorneys and government authorities.
Required Skills
What skills make a successful paralegal? The American Association for Paralegal Education considers these six skills vital to paralegals.
Communication
Paralegals communicate frequently: they answer clients' questions, consult sources for case-related information, and present attorneys with their research and opinions.
Research
Paralegals research effectively and strategically – paying close attention to details, making inferences, and drawing connections.
Reading and Writing
Paralegals carefully read laws, databases, and other legal material to research cases and to keep employers informed of important laws.
Paralegals also write case reports and help attorneys write wills, contracts, legal arguments, and other legal documents.
Technology
They investigate, research, and compile information through the Internet, databases, and other online resources. Most paralegals work so closely with computers that attorneys and other employees consult them as technology experts.
Investigation and Interviewing
Paralegals help attorneys arrange, prepare, and conduct effective interviews of clients, witnesses, experts, and other involved parties.
Office Management
Paralegals understand the financial, administrative, and legal aspects of running a law office. Many help prepare settlement fees and forms for clients; inform employers of pertinent laws and regulations; and supervise team projects.
Work Preferences
What type of work do you enjoy? Paralegals perform similar tasks as attorneys, detectives, and secretaries.
Attorney Work
Paralegals perform all the same tasks as attorneys except give legal advice, present cases in court, set legal fees, or practice law. Like attorneys, paralegals help clients with legal issues and processes by using their knowledge of and access to the legal system.
Detective Work
Though paralegals usually do not uncover crimes, they uncover the facts of clients' cases and often investigate clients themselves. They search law libraries, archives, public records, and medical records while also interviewing clients, witnesses, involved parties, and experts.
Secretary Work
Paralegals also perform secretarial tasks like filing, making arrangements, and communicating between employers and clients. Paralegals ensure that employers can work at their fullest potential.
Academic Interests
Will you use your favorite high school subjects as a paralegal? Paralegals are intelligent, well-rounded people who succeed in various academic subjects, especially English and social studies.
English
Paralegals need to read, write, and speak well. English classes sharpen reading, writing, and communication skills that paralegals use as investigators, researchers, and liaisons between attorneys and clients. They need to read legal articles critically, report their research concisely, and be comfortable consulting experts.
Social Sciences
The paralegal profession can be very much like a social science class – research, then write a report. Some paralegals devote many hours a day to researching legal documents and writing exhaustive reports for attorneys.
Social science classes also teach the very laws, legal procedures, and political structures that paralegals navigate.
Article Resources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics
American Association for Paralegal Education