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Law Career Question? |
What is the difference between a paralegal and a lawyer? And what is the difference in pay? Thanks Job Description- Paralegal Busy lawyers often find that there is not enough time to do all of the research and preparation required for each case. To help overcome this problem, lawyers often employ the services of paralegals. Paralegals assist lawyers. They do the preparatory research for hearings, trials, closings, and corporate meetings. They look up anything relevant to the cases on which they work. They prepare legal documents. And they might even assist lawyers during trials, perhaps preparing legal arguments. However, unlike lawyers, they are not permitted to appear in court alone. They are also not permitted to set legal fees or give legal advice. The lawyers for whom they work assume all responsibility for their work. Paralegals鈥?duties vary depending on the type of employer. For example, paralegals working for civil litigators spend most of their time drafting and filing documents. In the field of family law, they might draft pleadings and motions and calculate child support. Those working for a corporation鈥檚 legal department will assist in the preparation of financial reports, employee contracts, and employee benefit plans. Often, a paralegal specializes in only one area of the law, such as labor law, bankruptcy, or real estate. Job Description- Lawyer If you are interested in justice, enjoy arguing about important issues, or feel that you would like to help people learn about their rights, then you might consider becoming a lawyer. Most of us are familiar with TV shows like 鈥淟aw and Order鈥?that dramatize the lives of lawyers. But that鈥檚 only part of the picture. In fact, most lawyers spend a lot more time reading, writing, and researching than they do in court. There are also many types of lawyers. Some work for the government and prosecute people accused of crimes. Others defend people accused of crimes. Both of these types of lawyers are known as 鈥渃riminal lawyers.鈥? Other lawyers focus on business-related matters, like taxation, commercial transactions, and the incorporation of new companies. Generally called 鈥渃orporate lawyers,鈥?their work involves fewer court appearances and more negotiations and careful reading of contracts. Some lawyers specialize in litigation of non criminal matters such as wrongful dismissal suits and negligence actions. Lawyers living in small towns may practice in all of these areas. Whatever their specialty, lawyers share many of the same basic duties. One of their main tasks is advising clients of their legal rights, responsibilities, and potential problems. They also represent clients in negotiations and in front of courts and tribunals. Researching rules, regulations, and previous cases is another major part of their job. Much of their time is spent preparing legal documents like contracts and wills鈥攊t鈥檚 their job to make sure that the wording is clear and covers all eventualities, so that conflict won鈥檛 arise in the future. In all these situations, lawyers are responsible for interpreting the law and applying it to specific situations. They use their knowledge of the law to help their clients and ensure that the legal system works properly. Wages: (these are from my area, it's different in everyone, but you can see the big difference) Occupation: Paralegals and legal assistants Entry Wage Hourly: $15.45 Annual: $32,150 Median Wage H: $19.66 A: $40,900 Experienced Wage H: $25.01 A: $52,020 Occupation: Lawyers Entry Wage H: $29.82 A: $62,020 Median Wage H: $41.10 A: $85,500 Experienced Wage H: $62.50 A: $130,010 Good luck, hope this helps =) Para legal has not passed the bar exam Usually they are law students near the end of their training. Lawyers can make unlimited money Para Legals are just assistants and are paid accordingly. A paralegal can be anything from the person who makes the coffee in the law office to the chief of the legal research department, so it really depends on the amount of training and experience of the individual regarding how much the paralegal is paid (and the size of the firm, the area of the country, etc.). The difference between a paralegal and a lawyer is in the type of training (i.e. an accredited law school) and the LICENSE (i.e passing the bar exam). All lawyers are required to be licensed in at least one State (no license - no lawyer). A really mediocre lawyer working for a firm or in sole practice can easily generate enough revenue to hire several paralegals - so his/her earning potential is vastly higher than the paralegal. I am a paralegal. I tease the attorney I work for and say the only thing I need him for is to sign pleadings and attend court hearings, depositions, etc... I often ask my attorney why I am not making the big bucks. A paralegal does all the work involved in a case. I tell my attorney where he needs to go, what time and what case. It can be stressful and rewarding at the same time. I am a paralegal I paralegal can do many things a lawyer does, but not independently. They must be supervised by an attorney at all times and cannot represent a client: only a lawyer can. a paralegal cannot practice law because they are not a member of the state bar. A good paralegal can make more than many attorneys, especially if they work in a large firm. Any lawyer will tell you a good paralegal is worth their weight in gold and should be paid accordingly. If not, they usually get hired away by someone else. Many universities now offer bachelor's degrees in paralegal studies. |
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