A common epithet is, ‘(if) justice is delayed, justice is denied.’ Nowadays, it is more prevalent than ever that out-of-court settlements are happening at a considerable rate. The inadequacy of arbiters and scanty mass awareness cannot be solely blamed for such declension of hope in the Law and Justice System. The alarming dip in the quantity of well-trained and experienced paralegal staff is adding woe to the wound. Clients also feel apprehensive about the cost burden a visit for consultation with an attorney entails. Currently, the international rates underline that paralegals, fit for a myriad of legal tasks, usually charge around $14 US dollars for an hour, which is close to thrice as low as an attorney’s fee, around $40 USD. Simple ignorance of paralegal services, their outsourcing, and their virtual aspect makes people dwell under the belief that a paralegal can only work under the supervision of a lawyer and cannot be approached individually.
The insight of a paralegal’s purview:
Excerpts from the amended definition of the American Bar Association in 1997 refer to paralegals as formally educated or experienced persons who work under the guidance of an attorney. They may also assist attorneys in a freelance capacity and carry out specifically commissioned substantive legal works that require technical know-how. It is unfair to confuse clerical work with the duties of paralegals.
Paralegals usually are a part of the workforce of giant law firms. But the small-time law houses and stand-alone practitioners cannot afford the luxury of paralegals. Law firms hire paralegals from outsourcing companies or freelancers. Paralegals do a variety of tasks, including
- interviewing clients, retrieving data, gathering facts,
- case planning and management,
- legal research, analyzing legal documents,
- and preparing memos.
- Also, make recommendations to the supervising lawyer.
Yet there are some jobs not offered by Paralegal services for being universally proscribed by statutes to non-lawyers, i.e., paralegals, such as
- giving clients unauthorized legal advice,
- representing them before the Court of Justice
- or attesting any document as the signatory authority.
Virtual paralegals and outsourcing:
Virtual paralegals can help law firms save money. If a law firm hires its own paralegal staff, they would have to pay for their salaries even when they are not working. Virtual paralegal services only charge for the time that they are working, so law firms can save money by using them.
Virtual paralegals are available through outsourcing platforms. India is a leading provider of paralegal support services. This is because many outstanding professional firms, like Legal Support World (LSW), have their operational bases in India. With the promise of a 24/7 working schedule, LSW fares better among all. The service repertoire provides a comprehensive solution to documentation, coding, proofreading, title search, and data recording, to name a few, giving you ample scope to work on other serious aspects.
Resource Box:
Legal Support World provides paralegal services for litigation and non-litigation tasks. Because of the paralegals’ experience and qualifications, you can be confident that your case will be handled by professionals who know what they are doing.
