The larger the law firm, the more its attorneys will rely on paralegals to get work done.

Paralegals take care of much of the legal work done in a typical law firm in the US. It is true that such work is usually done under the supervision of a licensed attorney, but it is still amazing how much is done by paralegals.

Some examples of work typically done by paralegals:

• Draft shells for pleadings, discovery, motions, etc.
• Communicate with court personnel to retrieve files, file legal documents, and discuss about dates for hearings and trials
• Research case law
• Organize discovery and other documents
• Communicate with opposing counsel and paralegals from other law firms
• File legal documents
• Pay court fees

Law firms that recruit paralegals with solid education and experience, can get much of the legal work done at a much better cost than it would be the case if done by attorneys. Again, such work must be supervised by a licensed attorney, who will always have the last word on which documents may be filed or served.

Learn more about the paralegal position at NALA, the US national association for paralegals: https://www.nala.org/