When lawyers are preparing cases for trail, as a paralegal your job would be to research pertinent cases, previous court decisions in similar cases and laws to provide as much information as possible. Through the written report you deliver on this research, the lawyer can then decide the best course of action to take. Other duties that you may have include drafting contracts, preparing wills, mortgage agreements and handle the paperwork for divorce settlements. Depending on the nature of the work carried out by the law firm, you may also be involved in preparing tax returns, establishing trust finds or estate planning.
The work you carry out as a paralegal involves using various types of computer software. You need to have basic keyboarding skills as well as basic computer skills to access information stored on computer databases. The use of a scanner is helpful in transferring digital images to documents. If you work at home handling these duties for a lawyer, you must also use accounting software for keeping track of your hours and bill for the services rendered. A thorough knowledge of the laws that apply to different situations is essential in this type of work.
In order to become a paralegal, you can take a one or two-year course at a technical or vocational college. If you hold a college degree, you can also take extra courses for a certificate in paralegal studies. When a law firm hires you, you will enter the profession at the entry level handling routine tasks. You will need to be knowledgeable about legal terminology for use in all the documents you prepare. As you gain more experience you will gradually be given more challenging work. You will be subject to performance evaluations to ensure that your work is up to the standards expected in the firm.
You do not have to take any certification exams or be licensed to work as a paralegal. Although you do need college training, to obtain a position, most of your training will take place on the job. There are voluntary certification programs you can enroll in so that you gain more credentials and advance in your career. The National Association for Legal Assistants, for example has a two-day course you can take that will lead to a professional certification. This organization also offers an online program for professionals who want to specialize and receive an advanced certificate. Other organizations offering voluntary certification in this field include the American Alliance of Paralegals, Inc.and the National Federation of Paralegal Association.
