The wonderful world of The wonderful world of Paralegals!Paralegals!

By: Nick Smith, Jessie Plant, By: Nick Smith, Jessie Plant, Ceney Hernandez, Toni Ceney Hernandez, Toni

LaForgeLaForge

What is a Paralegal?What is a Paralegal?

A Legal Assistant for Paralegal is a person A Legal Assistant for Paralegal is a person qualified by education, training or work qualified by education, training or work experience who is employed or retained experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity who governmental agency or other entity who performs specifically delegated performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible.is responsible.

““Consider the reason of the case, for nothing is law that is Consider the reason of the case, for nothing is law that is not reason.” – J. Powellnot reason.” – J. Powell

The Role of the ParalegalThe Role of the Paralegal Draft Pleadings Draft Pleadings Prepare legal argumentsPrepare legal arguments Interview clientsInterview clients Assist in trial preparationAssist in trial preparation Research laws and previous casesResearch laws and previous cases Summarize depositionsSummarize depositions Investigate factsInvestigate facts Assist LawyersAssist Lawyers Locate and interview witnessesLocate and interview witnesses

““You are like the nurse to the doctor. The doctor plans and You are like the nurse to the doctor. The doctor plans and the nurse implements.” – Linda Michalik, Paralegal the nurse implements.” – Linda Michalik, Paralegal

What Paralegals What Paralegals Can’tCan’t Do Do

Set FeesSet Fees Appear in CourtAppear in Court Accept CasesAccept Cases Give Legal AdviceGive Legal Advice

"Laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the "Laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the

progress of the human mind."progress of the human mind." – – Sir Francis BaconSir Francis Bacon

Views From the Local Legal CommunityViews From the Local Legal Community

““As an attorney engaged primarily in As an attorney engaged primarily in litigation work, I utilize the skills of litigation work, I utilize the skills of my paralegal on a daily basis in the my paralegal on a daily basis in the areas of research, pleadings drafting areas of research, pleadings drafting and preparation for trial, depositions and preparation for trial, depositions and witness interviews.” – W. Asa and witness interviews.” – W. Asa Hutchinson, attorneyHutchinson, attorney

Where You Would WorkWhere You Would Work

Private law firmsPrivate law firms Corporate legal departmentsCorporate legal departments Nonprofit organizationsNonprofit organizations Federal, State and Local Federal, State and Local

GovernmentsGovernments

““Law is order, and good law is good order.” - AristotleLaw is order, and good law is good order.” - Aristotle

Work EnvironmentWork Environment

Usually work in officeUsually work in office Some work from homeSome work from home Hours usually follow standard 40 hours a week, with long Hours usually follow standard 40 hours a week, with long

hours sometimes requiredhours sometimes required Very independent work environment, often unsupervisedVery independent work environment, often unsupervised Work with computers oftenWork with computers often Some work done in law librariesSome work done in law libraries

““You get to put a lot of yourself into what you do and that providesYou get to put a lot of yourself into what you do and that provides a high level of satisfaction.” – Elizabeth Houser, Paralegala high level of satisfaction.” – Elizabeth Houser, Paralegal

Job SkillsJob Skills Strong work ethicStrong work ethic Detail management skillsDetail management skills Good oral and written communication skillsGood oral and written communication skills The ability to be self-directed and self-disciplinedThe ability to be self-directed and self-disciplined InitiativeInitiative Excellent organizational and time management skillsExcellent organizational and time management skills Honest and ethicalHonest and ethical

““If there were no bad people, there would be no good If there were no bad people, there would be no good lawyers."lawyers."- Charles Dickens- Charles Dickens

Salary and BenefitsSalary and Benefits

According to a survey conducted by NALAAccording to a survey conducted by NALA

in 2004 the salary and benefits for in 2004 the salary and benefits for Paralegals in our area is:Paralegals in our area is:

$33,000.00-$45,00.00 salary and benefits$33,000.00-$45,00.00 salary and benefits

““Where there is no law, there is no freedom.” -John LockeWhere there is no law, there is no freedom.” -John Locke

Educational PathsEducational Paths

High School students should take a High School students should take a broad range of subjects such as:broad range of subjects such as: English (highly important)English (highly important) Social StudiesSocial Studies GovernmentGovernment Computer ScienceComputer Science LanguagesLanguages

““It is the trade of lawyers to question everything, yield It is the trade of lawyers to question everything, yield nothing,nothing,

and talk by the hour.”and talk by the hour.” – Thomas Jefferson– Thomas Jefferson

Educational PathsEducational Paths

On the job trainingOn the job training CertificateCertificate Associate Degree (most common path)Associate Degree (most common path) Bachelor’s DegreeBachelor’s Degree

““In university they don't tell you that the greater part of the law In university they don't tell you that the greater part of the law is is learning to tolerate fools." – Doris Lessinglearning to tolerate fools." – Doris Lessing

NWACC ProgramNWACC Program NWACC offers an Associate of Applied NWACC offers an Associate of Applied

Science in Legal Studies.Science in Legal Studies. The different courses taken will include:The different courses taken will include:

Legal ResearchLegal Research TortsTorts ContractsContracts Family LawFamily Law Civil/Criminal LitigationCivil/Criminal Litigation

““A law is valuable not because it is law, but A law is valuable not because it is law, but because there is right in it.” – H.W. Beecherbecause there is right in it.” – H.W. Beecher

Job OutlookJob Outlook

The U.S. Dept. of Labor projects that The U.S. Dept. of Labor projects that the number of jobs for Paralegals will the number of jobs for Paralegals will grow grow faster than average faster than average at about at about 33% through 2010.33% through 2010.

““Laws and institutions, like clocks, must occasionally be Laws and institutions, like clocks, must occasionally be cleaned, wound up, and set to true time.” – Henry Ward cleaned, wound up, and set to true time.” – Henry Ward

BeecherBeecher