Problems in Effectively Utilizing Paralegals Many law firms and law departments have significant difficulty in effectively utilizing paralegals. Usually, these problems mirror those in the legal assistant profession as a whole. The role of legal assistants is often unclear. Some attorneys lack respect for paralegals. Frequently, there is confusion about the career path for legal assistants.
Questions can exist about the general professionalism of paralegals.
These themes run throughout those law firms and law departments that fail to effectively deploy paralegals. The results from these problems are usually declining paralegal morale, lack of understanding of the capabilities and value of paralegals by some attorneys, and career path concerns on the part of the legal assistants. Often Adrift As mentioned, problems of morale, recognition, role definition and utilization exist in the paralegal function at many law offices. The good news, however, is that constructive steps can be taken to address them. By doing so, a law office will ensure that the position of legal assistant is challenging and rewarding for the paralegals, and that the lawyers are well supported by the legal assistants to the fullest extent possible.