Career Opportunity in Paralegal
In recent times, apart from a conventional law career, paralegal has also emerged as one of the popular career option for aspirants & is poised to see a greater increase in the future. Before we move into various career opportunities available in this domain, let us understand what exactly this field is all about
What is Paralegal?
A paralegal is a professional trained in legal matters which assist lawyers / attorneys with researching facts for cases, preparing documents, maintaining files.
Paralegals can’t give legal advice. They can’t represent a client in court, establish legal fees or sign documents that will be filed with the court.
Paralegals work under the supervision of a lawyer / attorney and are commonly employed by law firms, corporate legal departments, outsourcing firms and government agencies. Paralegals job responsibilities depend upon the nature & size of the business. Specific tasks may include:
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Researching facts or laws related to a case
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Maintaining files and documents for various cases
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Interaction with clients / witnesses
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Draft pleadings, deposition notices, subpoenas, motions and briefs
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Writing reports and compiling legal documents
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Working with teams of other paralegals, attorneys, and staff on cases
Education & Career Opportunity in Paralegal
Since, paralegal as a career option is among the recent evolution in India, hence there are few institutions which are currently offering undergraduate or postgraduate level courses on it though many certifications (both online & offline) are available to study paralegal.
The career prospects in paralegal are bright & aspirants can work in diversified sectors in diversified roles such as
1) Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Analyst – Dealing with IP laws related to Patents, Trademarks, and copyrights
2) Cyber Laws – Laws related to dealing with cyber-crimes have been framed & hence career opportunity is available in this domain
3) Media Laws – These laws are related to the nitty gritties of the media industry. Professionals related to media laws are also in demand to help media houses / publishers to assist them in legal course
