Staff

What is a Paralegal?

A paralegal, sometimes known as a legal assistant, is a person qualified by education, training and work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity who performs specifically delegated legal work for which a lawyer is responsible. (Definition adopted by the ABA in 1997.)

What do Paralegals do?

A legal assistant/paralegal cannot give legal advice, represent a client in court, set a fee, or accept a case, which functions are generally considered the practice of law.

Working under the supervision of an attorney, the paralegal’s work is merged with and becomes part of your attorney’s work product. In communications with clients and the public, the legal assistant’s non-lawyer status is clear. A legal assistant may perform any function delegated by an attorney, including but not limited to the following:

• Conduct client interviews and maintain contact with the client, so long as the client is aware of the status and function of the paralegal and that they work under the supervision of the attorney.
• Locate and interview witnesses.
• Conduct investigations and statistical and documentary research.
• Conduct legal research.
• Draft legal documents, correspondence and pleadings.
• Summarize depositions, interrogatories and testimony.
• Attend executions of wills, real estate closings, depositions, court or administrative hearings and trials with the attorney.
• Author and sign correspondence provided the legal assistant status is clearly indicated and the correspondence does not contain independent legal opinions or legal advice.
• Professionally, a paralegal's time for legal work (as opposed to clerical or administrative work) is billed to clients much the same way as an attorney's time, but at a lower hourly rate.

The use of paralegal services at Tuesley Hall Konopa saves our clients legal fees while still providing quality legal services.

Debra S. Filley
Carol A. Krause
April L. Troyer