Being a paralegal in our Litigation Department can be very rewarding but also very demanding at times, especially in such a fast-paced environment, but what exactly is a paralegal?
Paralegals act as support for the solicitors within the department. They work in a variety of environments, from private companies, law firms, local government agencies and the courts. The term ‘paralegal’ applies generally to any member of staff progressing files under supervision, but is specifically defined as a person trained in legal matters whom is not fully qualified.
Most paralegals intend to become qualified solicitors or legal executives in the future and many will study whilst working in order to become qualified. There is often much debate over the differences between legal secretaries and paralegals, as most believe that their roles are very similar. The main difference here at Paul Robinson Solicitors, is the type of client contact that they have. Legal secretaries have mostly administrative roles and will undertake tasks such as scheduling meetings, typing letters and taking messages from clients. Our paralegals however will generally act more independently in assisting a solicitor or a team of solicitors with their wider workload. The tasks regularly undertaken by paralegals include researching, drafting correspondence and legal documents, liaising with clients and providing general legal information. Paralegals are not able to provide specific legal advice to clients but they are involved in attending meetings/court with other solicitors/barristers.
As a result, good communication and research skills, a positive professional attitude, a willingness to learn and great organisation are essential attributes of a paralegal here in the Litigation Department at Paul Robinson Solicitors. Here, our paralegals are very important in assisting our solicitors and their clients in a very busy environment. In Litigation there are often many deadlines to be complied with and vast amounts of documentation to be produced for the courts and tribunals; our paralegals along with our solicitors will ensure that all is complied with in an efficient and professional manner whilst maintaining pride in our high quality of work. If you instruct Paul Robinson Solicitors you are likely to engage with our paralegals regularly, who will endeavour to ensure that your matter is dealt with seamlessly from start to finish.
Our paralegals are also often the first to engage with new clients and indeed, they are always happy to assist with providing excellent and detailed information in relation to any of the services that Paul Robinson has to offer.
If you require any Litigation advice or information on any of the services offered by Paul Robinson, please call and speak to our staff on 01702 338338 or alternatively please email [email protected].
