Paralegals are often in direct contact with the firm's clients, handling routine matters and taking the telephone calls that their busy attorney supervisors often cannot. The improved responsiveness and the economic services that paralegals provide help a firm keep clients and expand representation, making more money for the firm. Paralegals are less likely than an associate to take a client with them, if they leave a firm. Finally, paralegals can also help a firm bring in new clients. Paralegals can help with the firm's marketing activities, preparing and updating the firm's resume, preparing proposals, and even assisting in client presentations.
Paralegals can even generate clients directly.
The bottom line is that paralegals make more than dollars for their firms - they make sense. Client work is going undone. The attorneys are saddled with routine legal work. The Firm has no capacity for their new work. No client work is going undone.