Difference Of Opinions About Paralegals And Legal Assistants

19 March 2021

Working in law is not an easy endeavor. Multiple roles and designations keep this sector afloat. While lawyers and judges are primarily associated with law, you can’t ignore the importance of paralegals and legal assistants who ensure that the court system can do its job. Even though you are working for a lawyer as an assistant and paralegal, these are not the same job professions. Here’s how both career paths differentiate from each other:

What Do They Do?

Understanding what their jobs entail is an excellent place to start to build your knowledge on what a paralegal does compare to a legal assistant, and here’s how:

Paralegal:

As a paralegal, you are helping a lawyer with their cases. That means you conduct all relevant research work on laws and draft legal documents with the best supporting evidence for a lawyer to be used in court.

They also assist a lawyer prepare trail reports and file appeals with the opposing counsel. Since paralegals also specialize in criminal law, real estate law, and immigration policies, they have the legal rights to bill clients for their work. However, legal assistants cannot do the same.

Legal Assistants:

As a legal assistant, your job is more on the administrative side than regular work. You will help a lawyer prepare legal documents such as subpoenas and take their phone calls for them.

You’re also critical in reminding the lawyer about their court appearances and helping them schedule their appointments and workload. You will also be vital in greeting clients and ensuring all emails get a response. Your work will include organizing all the relevant paperwork a lawyer may need, such as statements and evidence, and file them appropriately. Finally, you prepare bills for a lawyer’s clients, but you cannot bill them for your services.

However, suppose you wish to try your hand as in law and work your way from a paralegal to an independent lawyer. In that case, there are many exciting and well-structured online programs for you, such as an online criminal justice degree. This degree is not only the first stepping stone into your promising career. Still, it provides you with the necessary resources to do well as a legal practitioner.

Where Do These Fields Differ?

When you are aware of what a legal assistant’s and a paralegal’s job entails, it is easy to dive deeper and study their differences more comprehensively:

1. Skills:

As a paralegal, you may find yourself sharing certain skill sets with a legal assistant. However, since your job requires you to work within the legal framework, you should know how to take legal actions known as litigation charges organization breach of contract. You will need to know how to use Microsoft Office or any equivalent word processor to prepare your documents. Also, learn how to compile a proper document that follows standard documentation format. You will need to know how to carry out research and make use of the evidence you have.

You will need to schedule meetings and remind the lawyer to attend all-important court appearances and meetings. You should know the basic law framework and know-how to enter all relevant data.

2. Experience:

Most law firms ask for paralegals who have some experience of working in law. Most ask for at least a minimum of three to five years of work experience. Suppose you go with only entry-level expertise with no experience to only two years of experience. Chances are you may not get a job as a paralegal and given the competition in this sector alone. You trim down your options further if you don’t take advantage of every opportunity before applying for a job.

As a legal assistant, your job experience is not under heavy scrutiny. Whether you’re new to the job or have been working for a while, you can quickly secure a job yourself. It is not unheard of for paralegals to start as legal assistants and interns before applying for higher employment opportunities till they’re eligible to work as a paralegal.

3. Salary:

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most paralegals can earn $49,500, while a legal assistant can earn $44,180. However, these wages can go higher, and in 2019, they had crossed the $50,000th mark. Your salaries mainly depend on your employer. If you choose to work in a private setting than a non-profit, you have higher chances of earning more.

4. Education:

As a paralegal, you will need to have solid formal education to find employment. You will need to attend a bachelor’s program in legal studies or paralegal studies. Then appear for your examinations. You will also need to intern while you study. And getting work right after your bachelor’s may become problematic if you choose to skip out on all opportunities and directly apply to a law firm.

As a legal assistant, you may need to look into a bachelor’s degree and get a certificate in paralegal studies. However, you may start your job right away after you graduate as a legal assistant. You don’t need to do many internships, but it helps to walk in with some experience.

Wrap Up:

If you are looking for a law career, becoming a paralegal or a legal assistant is a good start. These two professions are just as important as the lawyer itself. Without the proper help, a lawyer may struggle in staying on top of their cases and not know how to make compelling cases. As a paralegal, your job will be working with the lawyer and their clients, especially for the legal system. As a legal assistant, you will make sure all appointments happen on time. All relevant documents are in the system.

Read Also:

Ariana Smith

I enjoy writing and I write quality guest posts on topics of my interest and passion. I have been doing this since my college days. My special interests are in health, fitness, food and following the latest trends in these areas. I am an editor at Content Rally.

View all posts

Getting Legal Advice from Immigration Attorneys

Leading sources of reliable news can help you understand what's going on in the world and when, but leading sources of immigration news can help you know when you need to update your Visa, or when you might consider one Visa over another. Using well-known immigration lawyers means you can get information on how to extend spouse visa applications or hearings, or what you need to do to extend spouse visa deadlines. Do I need a consultation? If you need to get legal advice for an immigration matter, it always starts with a patient. A consultation is a primary interaction you will have with a law firm. This is an opportunity for you both to evaluate the situation and determine if it is a good fit. The consultation is where you can discuss different aspects of your case. Most law firms make it very easy for you to set up a consultation. When you are looking at their website you might easily see buttons that allow you to click on them in order to facilitate consultation. They might even have a phone number you can call. Consultations typically last about 30 minutes. Most experienced immigration attorneys will charge anywhere between $100 and $300 for the consultation during which time you can get rudimentary legal advice. In very minor cases that consultation might be all you need and the information you get can be completely sufficient. In more complex cases of course you might need to pursue help from a qualified attorney and the consultations will let you know which attorney you should pick in the end to be your legal representation. What do I have to bring to a consultation? When you head to your consultation you should bring any materials that are relevant to your situation. This might include criminal history documents, immigration documents, visas or passports, a green card if you have it, marriage certificates, and so on. In order to make sure that your limited time together is used wisely, all relevant materials should be labeled in folders that make it easy for one attorney to flip through them during the course of your meeting. You might divide it by the type of document with proper labels or by the time frame. It's completely up to you how to organize it, it's just important that you do organize it so that your attorney isn't constantly flipping through a stack of papers during your limited time. What questions should I ask during a consultation? During the course of your consultation, you want to note right out of the gate that no qualified attorney will make you promises or guarantees for a specific outcome. In fact, it's against the bar for them to promise that they will get you a green card or guarantee that they will get you the Visa you want. A good attorney will immediately go over your situation and give you a healthy perspective as to what problems you might face and what to expect moving forward. Use this time to ask questions about the law firm and the attorneys, and what their qualifications are especially in relation to your case. You can ask questions like: What are your current qualifications? Who else will be a part of my team and what are their qualifications? How much do you charge and what is your payment plan policy? What is included in the flat fee? How many people at your Law Firm speak my language? Have you taken on cases similar to this and if so what was the outcome? Are there other areas of law you practice? Do you have any previous clients with whom I can speak? How do I choose an attorney after the consultation? After you have completed consultations with multiple attorneys, take some time to reflect. Consider whether you felt the attorneys with whom you met were honest. In most cases, if you have consultations with a handful of attorneys, the information they give you about your case should be somewhat similar. If one particular turning gave you information that was wildly different from the others, they might not be a good choice. Go over whether the attorneys gave you upfront information about the strategy they're going to use in your situation. Review whether they were open about previous cases and willing to share their credentials with you. If you don't speak the same language, it's going to be important that the law firm you consider is multilingual and has someone who can translate for you. Read Also: How Hiring A Lawyer Can Help You Get The Best Possible Outcome Rocket Lawyer And ZenBusiness Services For Business Things To Consider Before Hiring A Lawyer Is It Possible To Get A Settlement From A Car Accident Without A Lawyer?

Maximizing Your Workplace Injury Claim: Workers’ Compensation Counsel

Suffering an injury at work can initiate a challenging battle for fair compensation. The laws on workplace injury are complicated. Employers and insurance companies often try to push back against claims. This complexity often necessitates the expertise of a lawyer well-versed in the relevant laws.They can stand up to employers who don't want to pay. These professionals can secure the rightful compensation an individual deserves following a workplace accident. Individuals who sustain injuries should not navigate this process alone. It is advisable to reach out to an experienced workplace injury attorney. In this article, we will explore the most effective approach to handling workplace injuries. I. The Strategic Advantage of Workers’ Compensation Counsel Injured workers who have lawyers get paid five times more. This shows the big benefit of hiring a workers’ compensation attorney. With their help, even average settlements are around $20,000, says the Bureau of Labor. How can lawyers significantly impact complex claims? They know all the specific state laws. They use this to structure claims to get the most money. Lawyers find ways to get extra benefits. They avoid technical issues that could cause denials. Since lawyers know the process, they speed up approvals and stop problems early. Regardless of whether you consult workers' compensation lawyers in Los Angeles or New York, having an expert on your side significantly increases your chances of securing a favorable outcome. The attorney also advises on the long-term impact of injuries on income. They factor in all losses beyond just medical and missed wages to get full pay. Without this big-picture view, you might settle for too little leaving out future issues. II. Claiming Full Benefits: The Lawyer’s Playbook While the financial prospects with a lawyer seem promising, they do not come unchallenged. 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Your lawyer handles all the legal complexities for you. Don't leave any money on the table. Call a trusted local workers' compensation attorney in your area today. Discuss your unique situation and options. An attorney will advise if they can help get more benefits.Having an exceptional lawyer on your side can make all the difference in ensuring you receive proper compensation. Don't delay – you deserve full and fair compensation. Schedule a free consultation with a workers' compensation attorney today. Read Also: What Is Considered A Personal Injury? 5 Common Types Of Personal Injury Cases Top 10 Colorado Springs Personal Injury Attorneys

Can an Employee Claim for a Personal Injury When Working From Home?

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Difference Of Opinions About Paralegals And Legal Assistants

What Do They Do?

Paralegal:

Legal Assistants:

Where Do These Fields Differ?

1. Skills:

2. Experience:

3. Salary:

4. Education:

Wrap Up:

Criminal Case – Dos And Donts

5 Reasons Why You Should Take A Criminal Lawsuit Seriously

Tags

Ariana Smith

I enjoy writing and I write quality guest posts on topics of my interest and passion. I have been doing this since my college days. My special interests are in health, fitness, food and following the latest trends in these areas. I am an editor at Content Rally.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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Difference Of Opinions About Paralegals And Legal Assistants

What Do They Do?

Paralegal:

Legal Assistants:

Where Do These Fields Differ?

1. Skills:

2. Experience:

3. Salary:

4. Education:

Wrap Up:

Share this Article

Criminal Case – Dos And Donts

5 Reasons Why You Should Take A Criminal Lawsuit Seriously

Tags

I enjoy writing and I write quality guest posts on topics of my interest and passion. I have been doing this since my college days. My special interests are in health, fitness, food and following the latest trends in these areas. I am an editor at Content Rally.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Popular

Follow Us

Recent

Related