Is anyone a Paralegal or Legal Clerk?

[maillotpois]

I worked full time as a paralegal through law school. (Supported my shoe habit.) What do you want to know?

[cyclingmama]

I'm a lawyer, but I worked as a law clerk during law school and I work with paralegals, so I may have info you are looking for. What are your questions?

[vermonster]

I'm a paralegal.

[OakLeaf]

Never been a paralegal, but I did teach legal writing in a paralegal program one semester. I've been a lawyer and a legal secretary. I'd guess that paralegal duties would be similar in any of the former British colonies - where we have the common law system - but don't really know!

Really, in the USA, paralegal duties vary HUGELY depending on the specialty and the firm's needs. It's usually just part of the same work a lawyer would ordinarily do - which could be interviewing clients, investigation, title searches, legal research and memo writing, drafting court documents, correspondence, and just about anything else you can think of, probably excepting negotiations, but some paralegals might even do that?

[maillotpois]

I can't imagine a firm having a paralegal do any sort of negotiation.

Tasks would vary depending on what the firm did: litigation, probate, criminal, etc.

Do your attorneys in Australia wear wigs like I think they do in the UK? (Conjuring images of John Cleese in A Fish Called Wanda... )

[vermonster]

I don't know of any paralegals who've been authorized to negotiate by themselves; assisting in settlement discussions is about as far as that would go I think. The rest of it varies greatly, but in general you could expect to do legal research, draft legal documents, organize exhibits, prep witnesses, assist at trials/hearings/depositions. I guess a lot of it depends on the firm you work for.

[spokewench]

I'm a paralegal - I specialize for my boss in real property, corporate, and conservation law. So I do a lot of drafting of conservation easements, attending meetings to determine terms of contracts, attending board meetings, sometimes settlement/mediation meetings, preparing documents for those meetings, drafting corporate docs, researching title issues, preparing and keeping accounts for gravel pit contracts, etc.; lots of different things all the time.

[crazycanuck]

Thanks,

I was mainly wondering about it career wise. Is it worthwhile, will I be kept on my toes all the time, will I be able to utilize my brain?!!! Do you feel it's a bit monotonous & perhaps burn out is quick?

I'm doing some career/university course investigations & this popped into my head.

THanks!

[Trekhawk]

I can't imagine a firm having a paralegal do any sort of negotiation.

Tasks would vary depending on what the firm did: litigation, probate, criminal, etc.

Do your attorneys in Australia wear wigs like I think they do in the UK? (Conjuring images of John Cleese in A Fish Called Wanda... )

LOL - love John Cleese.
Apparently some do and some don't.
http://www.brudirect.com/DailyInfo/N...80907/wn03.htm