Paralegal Advisor

Paralegal advisors assist Lawyers, Solicitors or Barristers in delivering legal services. Legal advisors provide companies with guidance in matters relating to law. Within the construction industry, a legal advisor would assist with client contracts, draft legal documents and resolve disputes. They are educated and trained in law but can't provide legal advice or work without the guidance or supervision of a registered member of the legal community.

The profession of paralegal advisor has seen massive growth in recent years. As per the reports, the paralegal advisory profession will see a great increase in the future. Challenging but rewarding, this career demands strong professional skills, a firm ethical foundation and higher levels of knowledge.

A paralegal advisor consults with other paralegals or law firms regarding the paralegal practices. Paralegal advisors must be very knowledgeable about the paralegal profession and the various ways in which paralegals can assist attorneys and law firms to become more efficient. Paralegal advisors are not attorneys and must work under the direction of a practicing attorney when engaged in any legal work. Paralegal advisors are often trained in legal assisting.

Students can start their careers as paralegals to understand how things work in the legal field. 

Paralegal advisors perform the following duties and responsibilities.

Assist attorneys during trials- The primary duty of a paralegal advisor is to assist attorneys during trials with reports and notes. They are present during administrative hearings & depositions and often maintain the schedule of their attorneys. They align with lawyers, clients, witnesses and other court personnel to schedule hearings and meetings. Travel arrangements are also one of their responsibilities.

Research legal cases- One of the critical duties of a paralegal advisor is to research current and historical legal cases. They conduct legal research and find the appropriate laws and legal articles relevant to the case. Gathering relevant information and analysing them is an essential duty of paralegals advisors. After conducting thorough research, they prepare written documents and reports that help attorneys in the case. Sometimes Paralegal advisors also use researched data to create presentations for the client.

Interview clients- Paralegal advisors also interview both clients and witnesses to assist in the case. They also take notes for future reference when the attorney interviews the clients. They investigate the case facts and also maintain general contact with the clients. They also prepare summarized testimony and memo for the attorney.

Draft Legal Documents and reports-Paralegal advisors spend most of their time drafting and preparing legal documents. They draft supporting documents and legal reports to assist attorneys during the case.Paralegal advisors also draft complaints, interrogatories, legal briefs and pleadings. They go through specialised training to enhance their legal writing ability for preparing reports and documents.

Route to Paralegal Advisor 

Significant statistics

It will be helpful if you score well on relevant entrance tests to get into law school. Several types of entrance tests are available to assess your law knowledge at a national, state, and institute level. Some of the most common law entrance tests include:

• Common-Law Admission Test (CLAT)
• BHU Law Admission Test (BLAT)
• UPES Legal Studies Aptitude Test (ULSAT)
• All India Law Entrance Test (AILET)
• Common Entrance Test (CET)
• Law School Admission Test (LSAT)
   

Pros

• Can work for more than one attorney
• Easy to get a job
• Constant learning opportunities
• Variety of job roles
• Decent salary depending upon the firms you are working with
• Opportunities to work at many Locations 
• Stimulates Your Intellectual Side 
• Possible Schedule Flexibility
• Opportunity for Growth

Cons

• Competition for paralegal roles in commercial firms can be fierce 
• Ethical Challenges
• Periodically Heavy Workload
• Not As Much Authority
• Sometimes Intense Pressure