Duties and Responsibilities of Paralegal

Happiness AbdulLast Updated: July 28, 2023

As a paralegal, you play an essential role in assisting attorneys and law firms. You have significant responsibilities that require specialized knowledge and skills. Your duties include conducting legal research, organizing case files, interviewing clients, assisting attorneys in trial preparation, and drafting legal documents. While paralegals cannot provide legal advice or represent clients in court, you serve as a vital member of the legal team under the supervision of licensed attorneys. The role of a paralegal is challenging and multifaceted, requiring excellent organizational, communication, and critical thinking abilities. If you pursue a career as a paralegal, you will find it rewarding work that contributes meaningfully to the legal profession.

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Duties and Responsibilities of Paralegal

Below are some of the duties and responsibilities of Paralegal:

1. Conducting Legal Research for Attorneys

As a paralegal, conducting legal research for attorneys will be one of your primary responsibilities. You will need to utilize both print and electronic resources to find relevant laws, court decisions, articles, and other documents to support the attorneys in their casework.

To begin, determine the specific issues of the case and the questions that need to be addressed. Then, identify keywords and phrases to search within legal databases like Westlaw and LexisNexis, academic databases, and general search engines. Employ Boolean operators like “AND” and “OR” to broaden or narrow results. Review the results for relevance and credibility, summarizing key details and precedents.

Analyzing Laws and Regulations

Research federal and state legislation, regulations, and ordinances related to the case. Track the history and current status of laws, determining whether there are any pending bills or recent amendments that could impact the case. Familiarize yourself with standard rules of statutory interpretation.

Case Law Research

Search for previous court decisions that could serve as binding or persuasive precedent. Focus on cases within the appropriate jurisdiction and level of court. Read opinions thoroughly, extracting details on the facts, issues, holdings, dissents, and reasoning. Compare to the present case to determine if the decisions support or weaken the client’s position.

Secondary Sources

Consult practice guides, legal encyclopedias, law review articles, and legal treatises. These sources summarize the law and provide expert commentary and analysis. They can help in developing legal arguments and strategies.

By conducting meticulous legal research, you provide attorneys with the information and materials necessary to build a strong case. Your work allows lawyers to focus on litigation and client representation, relying on your support and diligence. Performing research thoroughly and efficiently is essential to your role as a paralegal.

2. Drafting Legal Documents

As a paralegal, one of your primary responsibilities will be drafting legal documents. This includes preparing documents like contracts, wills, trusts, and motions. To effectively draft documents, you must:

Review the details of the case and relevant laws. Make sure you understand the key facts, events, timeline of the case, and laws that apply to the specific legal matter. Conduct additional research as needed.
Follow the instructions provided by the supervising attorney. Ask for clarification on any points you do not fully understand. It is critical that you accurately capture all details in the legal documents.
Use precise and unambiguous language. Legal documents require the utmost clarity and specificity. Choose your words carefully to avoid vagueness or ambiguity in the documents’ meaning or intent.
Adhere to standard legal document formats. Legal documents follow strict rules regarding fonts, margins, spacing, headings, and more. Carefully follow the proper format for each document type to ensure validity and professionalism.
Proofread and edit thoroughly. Double check that all information in the document is factually correct and legally sound. Carefully proofread to fix any spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors before submitting the draft to the attorney for review.
Obtain final approval from the attorney before distributing. Do not send out or file any legal documents without the attorney’s final review and consent. Make any requested revisions promptly and accurately.

With diligence and attention to detail, you can become highly adept at drafting clear, professional, and legally valid documents as a paralegal. Take great care with each document to serve the best interests of the attorney and clients.

3. Assisting Attorneys With Interviews and Depositions

As a paralegal, one of your key responsibilities will be assisting attorneys with conducting interviews and depositions. A deposition is a questioning session in which an attorney asks a witness questions about the facts of a case while under oath. Depositions allow attorneys to gather information to support their case and prepare for trial.

To help prepare for a deposition, you may need to:

Gather relevant documents like medical records, employment files, financial statements, etc. to review with the attorney beforehand
Contact any witnesses or relevant parties to schedule and confirm their availability and attendance
Ensure the deposition room has the necessary equipment like a court reporter, video camera, microphones, etc. depending on the needs of the case
Sit in on the deposition to take notes and handle any needs of the attorney like providing requested documents

During a deposition, remain professional and do not engage in or react to any arguments. Your role is to support the attorney by:

Handing them any documents they request like evidence or records
Taking notes on the witness’s responses and key pieces of information discussed to review with the attorney later
Ensuring the court reporter and any technicians have what they need
Monitoring the time and informing the attorney when question periods need to end

After the deposition concludes, meet with your supervising attorney to:

Review and organize all notes taken
Discuss the important details and testimony gathered
Make a plan for any follow up questions or actions needed

Assisting with depositions and witness interviews is a key part of a paralegal’s job. By thoroughly preparing, remaining professional during the proceedings, and following up appropriately afterwards, you can provide valuable support to attorneys as they build their case.

4. Organizing and Maintaining Case Files

As a paralegal, organizing and maintaining case files is one of your most important responsibilities. Accurately organizing and filing legal documents and correspondence is crucial to providing effective support to attorneys. Failure to do so can lead to wasted time, missed deadlines, and improper handling of sensitive information.

To organize case files properly, establish a standardized filing system for your firm. Work with attorneys and other paralegals to determine categories that make the most sense based on the types of cases you handle. Common categories include client names, case types, dates, and document types. Within each category, use alphabetical or chronological order for easy lookup.
File documents promptly upon receipt to avoid misplacement. As you file each item, note key information like the document title, date, sender/recipient, and location in the file. These annotations will make documents easier to find when needed.
Maintain logs or tracking sheets for each case file. Record important dates, deadlines, and milestones to keep the case progressing appropriately. Note any follow-up that is required on your part. Review case logs regularly and flag any upcoming actions that need attention.
Purge case files once litigation or representation is complete based on your firm’s document retention policy. Shred or securely dispose of any sensitive or confidential information. Properly archiving closed case files will keep your filing system uncluttered and compliant with regulations.
Double check that each case file contains necessary documentation before archiving or destroying. Ensure all loose ends are tied up to avoid future issues. Your careful maintenance and organization of case files is a reflection of your competence and professionalism as a paralegal. Take pride in developing and refining a logical, cohesive system to support your firm’s legal work.

With diligent organization and oversight of case files, you will build a reputation as a detail-oriented, methodical paralegal. Your skills and workflow will directly contribute to the success of your attorneys and firm. Maintaining meticulous case records is a hallmark of excellence in the paralegal profession.

5. Billing Clients and Other Administrative Tasks

As a paralegal, you will likely be responsible for administrative and billing tasks to support the attorneys and run the law office efficiently.

Billing Clients

You will prepare invoices for clients based on the attorney’s billable hours and charges. This includes reviewing timesheets, verifying work was completed, and ensuring the correct billing rates are applied. You must double check that all information on the invoices is accurate before sending them to clients. It is critical that clients are billed properly and in a timely manner.

Managing Accounts Receivable and Payable

You will track accounts receivable to ensure client payments are received on time. This may involve sending reminders to clients for any past due balances. You will also process accounts payable, including paying any vendors, suppliers or expenses for the law firm. Strong organizational and bookkeeping skills are essential for managing the firm’s financial records.

General Administrative Duties

There are many administrative tasks required to keep a law office running efficiently. You may be responsible for answering phones, greeting clients, managing schedules, filing, photocopying and other daily office functions. You should have excellent communication skills and the ability to juggle multiple responsibilities.

Proficiency with legal software, online legal research tools, and other office programs is typically required for a paralegal role. You must be highly detail-oriented, able to work independently, and adept at prioritizing important tasks. Discretion and confidentiality are also essential when dealing with sensitive client information.

Performing the administrative and billing responsibilities efficiently and accurately is key to supporting the attorneys, enhancing client satisfaction, and ensuring the overall success of the law firm.

Conclusion

As you have seen, paralegals play an integral role in the legal system and have a diverse range of responsibilities. While the specific job duties will vary depending on the area of law and the employing attorney or law firm, the core tasks remain research, organizing files, drafting legal documents, and assisting attorneys. It is a career path that requires diligence, attention to detail, discretion, and a genuine interest in the law. If you possess these attributes and the necessary educational credentials, a paralegal role can be a rewarding career. The legal field needs competent paralegals to support the important work of attorneys and provide access to justice for all. Consider whether it may be the right path for you.