Paralegals assist attorneys (barristers) in many ways. This is a sampling of some of the tasks that legal assistants typically perform in a law office.
Keep in mind that today’s paralegals work in many nontraditional settings, including corporations, government agencies, Courts, insurance companies, real estate firms, and almost any other entity that uses legal services.
Typically, legal assistants perform the following duties:
1. Conduct client interviews and maintain contact with clients-provided that the client is aware of the status and function of the legal assistant and the legal assistant does not give legal advice.
2. Locate and interview witnesses -to gather relevant facts and information about a lawsuit, for example.
3. Conduct legal investigations to obtain, organize, and evaluate information from sources such as police reports, medical records, photographs, court documents, experts’ reports, technical manuals, and product specifications.
4. Calendar and track important deadlines -such as the date by which a certain document must be filed with the court or the date by which the attorney must respond to a settlement offer.
5. Organize and maintain client files to keep the documents in each client’s file accessible.
6. Conduct legal research -to identify, analyze, and summarize the appropriate laws, court decisions, or regulations that apply to a client’s case.
7. Draft legal documents -such as legal correspondence, interoffice memoranda, contracts, wills, mortgages, and documents to be filed with the court.
8. File legal documents with courts -such as complaints, answers, and motions.
9. Summarize witness testimony -such as when depositions (sworn testimony) are taken of individuals out of court or when the parties have given written statements.
10. Coordinate litigation proceedings -communicate with opposing counsel, court personnel, and other government officials; prepare necessary documents for trial; and schedule witnesses.
11. Attend legal proceedings -such as trials, depositions, real estate closings, executions of wills, and court or administrative hearings.
12. Use computers and technology -to perform many of the above tasks.
Culled from :
Paralegal Today: The Legal Team at Work, Sixth Edition
Roger LeRoy Miller and Mary Meinzinger
2014, Delmar, Cengage Learning
Frank Tietie intends at the beginning of 2023 to lead courses at Law & Development Consultary to train holders of minimum of school certificates and equivalents to possess the requisite skill to work as support staff to big and medium law offices, and sole legal proprietors. Interested persons may express their interest by sending an SMS to: 07014444498