What does a paralegal do?

1st May 2019

At Gilbert Stephens Solicitors, we know that our solicitors would not be able to provide the service they do without the help of our highly skilled support staff.

Deborah Langham, private client paralegal at Gilbert Stephens, talks us through the roles and responsibilities of a paralegal.

“There are many vital roles in a law firm, and the role of a paralegal is, in fact, a multitude of roles carried out on behalf of a solicitor. Paralegals are not qualified solicitors, but their skill set is accomplished and diverse. Paralegals qualify through a combination of on-the-job training and education. Paralegals who are licensed by the National Association of Licensed Paralegals are also able to offer certain legal services to clients without a solicitor also handling the case.

“A paralegal will work with a solicitor to carry out the tasks needed for the solicitor to form their advice and take action. For example, a paralegal may be required to interview a client, research a particular question, complete a legal document under the instruction of a solicitor and – of course – keep highly sensitive information safe and organised so that a solicitor can get to the data they need, when they need it.

“Experienced paralegals often take on more complex work, assisting in the handling of process driven cases like the incorporation of a company or acting in debt recovery tasks.

“Typically, as a paralegal in the private client department I work on wills, lasting powers of attorney, estate administration and elderly client matters.

The key skills of a successful paralegal are a high level of organisation, adaptability, confidentiality and attention to detail – as well as good people skills!”

We have a number of paralegals working at Gilbert Stephens and it is safe to say, we simply could not operate effectively without them.

If you have a legal matter that you need advice on, please get in touch with us on 01392 424242 or email.