One of the major issues with the current legal system in the US is the so-called “access-to-justice gap” in which low- and moderate-income persons are unable to afford the fees associated with hiring an attorney.    One of the proposed solutions to this problem, and the one we will be looking at today, is the use of licensed non-lawyer paraprofessionals, who could charge lower rates for their services, thereby giving low- and moderate-income persons more affordable access to legal advice. What Are Paraprofessionals? The legal system in the US and it attendant law firms already make widespread use of paraprofessionals,..

Working as a paralegal can be an enjoyable, exciting, and rewarding career, but before you sign up to study with us, there are few things that you need to know about the profession that will help you get to grips with your new career choice. You Will Be Getting Involved in Cases  If you just read the basic job description of the paralegal, it might seem like their sole responsibility is to support the attorneys in their work. However, this isn’t exactly true.   While proving support to the attorneys by maintaining and organizing files, conducting legal research, and drafting..

Each year in the US, more than 100 million cases are filed in state trial courts, with around 400,000 cases filed in federal trial courts. The works out as nearly 4000 court cases per day.   Most of these cases barely break into the local news, with many going unreported on outside of the work of the court stenographer.    However, some cases are so sensational that they capture the attention of the entire nation and, in this article, we’ll be looking at some of the cases that captivated the attention of the American public. The Trial of O.J. Simpson..

As we’ve mentioned in previous articles, one of the benefits of working as a paralegal is the ability to specialize in an area of law that interests you. One of those areas, and one becoming more and more popular, is that of the corporate paralegal, paralegals who use their knowledge of business and the law to work on legal matters within a corporate setting.    In this article, we’ll be examining the attributes and responsibilities of a corporate paralegal and the benefits of pursuing this particular specialization.   What Is a Corporate Paralegal?   Simply put, a corporate paralegal works for..

Situational crime prevention is a technique that has been around for the last 40 years and focusses on altering the environments in which crime is perpetrated. In this article, we will be looking at what exactly situational crime prevention and how it differs from modern approaches to crime prevention. What Is Situational Crime Prevention? Most modern schools of thought on crime prevention focus on those individuals who commit crime and the communities that produce them. By comparison, situational crime prevention focuses on the environments which host crime behavior and looks at ways to alter them so that they are less..

Artificial intelligence (AI) and its implications are at the forefront of discussion about how the digital age could affect existing areas of business and society, such as how the law is practiced and applied.   In this article, we will be looking at how the advent of artificial intelligence could impact law firms and the paralegals who work for them. What Impact Could AI Have on Paralegals? AI has boundless applications in a huge range of fields, such as the medical, legal, and educational sectors, but its particular use in legal research, one of the areas of responsibility for many..

Unlike a lot of modern workplaces, the need for staffing in law offices fluctuates depending on a significant number of factors and certain cases may require a significant increase in personpower in order to cover the required legal ground.   Legal departments rarely take on levels of work and activity that can be categorized as consistent. Some duties, such as tax preparation, governmental reporting, and compliance, are almost entirely seasonal. Casework and legal procedures can lead to a dramatic increase in staffing needs, with their completion meaning a dramatic decrease, over the course of a year.   The reality is..

Working as a paralegal means working in a critical behind the scenes role, processing and handling different types of evidence that can prove vital in helping lawyers crack their cases.    In this article, we’ll be looking at five of the most common types of evidence you can expect to be working with as a paralegal. Direct evidence  Direct evidence is one of the most common forms of evidence that you can expect to be dealing with. Alongside circumstantial evidence, direct evidence makes up one of the two types of so-called “primary evidence”.   The exact nature of direct evidence..

Changing your career can be daunting at any stage of your life, but picking a new career later in life can be particularly challenging. If you are considering making the move to start a new career as a legal secretary, here are some factors that you should take into  Consider Your Current Career Carefully If you don’t like the day to day tasks you perform in your job, try to look more closely at which parts, in particular, demotivate you.   Money is not always the most important factor, but it should definitely be considered before you look at moving..

Legal administrative assistants play a vital role in our modern legal system, providing essential administrative support to lawyers and paralegals. However, the terminology around the job role can sometimes make identifying exactly what the job role contains a little tricky.   The legal administrative assistant is often confused with the “legal assistant” which the American Bar Associate lists as another term for Paralegal. To make things clearer, we’ve put together a short guide on the responsibilities and duties that make up a day in the life of a legal administrative assistant. What is a Legal Administrative Assistant? The American Bar..