Lawyers are always the focus of attention in the courtroom. The limelight seems to cling to the attorney making a case, presenting evidence, and questioning witnesses. Even with all the attention placed on lawyers, they cannot be as effective as needed without paralegals to assist them. Paralegals can be delegated almost any task that an attorney normally performs, provided the attorney supervises or approves the work.
Although not allowed to practice law (except those who have obtained a law degree), paralegals play an essential role in the legal system. They assist in every way possible to make sure a case is successful, and are much more than just assistants to attorneys. Paralegals make significant contributions to the work done by lawyers, from the preparation to the completion of legal proceedings. Below are some of the specific responsibilities of these legal professionals.
Paralegals carry out a lot of research. To initiate legal proceedings on a case, a lawyer must have all the relevant facts pertaining to it, be it for a courtroom hearing or a legal transaction. Finding these facts is a common job paralegals are tasked with. They search for regulations, arguments, analyses, previous court rulings on similar cases, and relevant laws affecting the case. After gathering relevant documents, paralegals are expected to critically examine the contents and determine how they can be applied to the case’s legal arguments or counter arguments.
Preparing legal documents is another way paralegals help in court proceedings. Paralegals draft, revise, and finalize relevant documents needed in pursuing a case. It is the job of these professionals to keep up with the workload of handling these documents, as every one of them could prove decisive in court rulings. These documents include depositions, motions, settlements, and memoranda, etc.
Paralegals who attend trials with attorneys can be tasked with taking notes and organizing exhibits for use in the trial. They are usually charged with keeping detailed notes on the trial proceedings and ensuring the case presentation proceeds in the same order as initially laid out by the attorney or legal team.
Legal proceedings often involve many meetings and the taking of depositions, as they are an important part of the process. Paralegals are usually assigned the job of making arrangements for both. They can assist clients in preparing for depositions, and also provide lawyers with deposition summaries.
In many cases, paralegals meet with clients, attorneys, and other professionals to discuss case details. They also interview clients and witnesses when the attorney is unavailable and assist at closings and trials. Even though they don’t oversee cases themselves, they work alongside attorneys and clients and gather testimony from all concerned parties to aid attorneys in preparing arguments.
When it comes to lawsuits, especially those with a statute of limitations, time is of the essence. Paralegals aid attorneys in legal proceedings by helping them arrange schedules to meet with clients and meet the deadline for cases. They help lawyers maintain a viable calendar system for setting and saving important dates and meetings, especially regarding filing court motions and submitting relevant court documents.
Paralegals help in legal proceedings by handling these responsibilities and many others, depending on their area or areas of specialization. Their responsibilities are not limited to courtrooms alone, but encompass virtually all areas of legal practice.
