Not all legal work requires a law degree. Lawyers are often assisted in their work by paralegals also called legal assistants who perform many of the same tasks as lawyers, except for those tasks considered to be the practice of law. Paralegals work directly under the supervision of lawyers. Although the lawyers assume responsibility for the legal work, they often delegate to paralegals many of the tasks they perform as lawyers. Paralegals are prohibited from setting legal fees, giving legal advice, or presenting a case in court.
Paralegals generally do background work for lawyers.
To help prepare cases for trial, paralegals investigate the facts of cases to make sure that all relevant information is uncovered. Paralegals may conduct legal research to identify the appropriate laws, judicial decisions, legal articles, and other materials that may be relevant to clients' cases. After organizing and analyzing all the information, paralegals may prepare written reports that attorneys use to decide how cases should be handled. Should attorneys decide to file lawsuits on behalf of clients, paralegals may help prepare the legal arguments, draft pleadings to be filed with the court, obtain affidavits, and assist the attorneys during trials. Paralegals also keep files of all documents and correspondence important to cases.