07/12/2022
Many people ask what is the difference between a Paralegal and an attorney. Outside of law school (and a ton of debt for most) and going to Court, there isn't much difference. Paralegals are the "nurses" to their Lawyers/Clients.
Paralegal vs. lawyer: Job duties
The duties performed by paralegals and lawyers have a fair amount of overlap—both conduct research and prepare legal documents. Paralegals often do a lot of the legal legwork and preparation for a case. This includes investigating the facts of a case, writing reports, filing and organizing important paperwork, and scheduling times for interviews and depositions, to name a few.
Both lawyers and paralegals work with urgent deadlines at times. It is important to find a Paralegal that understands procedures, deadlines and is well managing both.
One major difference in paralegal versus lawyer job duties is in the courtroom. Lawyers are front and center when addressing the judge, jury or witnesses. The high-profile nature of being a lawyer can seem glamorous, but it also brings a lot of scrutiny and pressure. Another notable difference between paralegals and lawyers is that only lawyers can set fees, give legal advice, appear in court and sign legal documents.
This means that even though a paralegal may have done a significant portion of the prep work, the recognition—positive or negative—often falls on the lawyer presenting the work.