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The WHO WHAT WHY and HOW of Using Paralegals

The WHO WHAT WHY and HOW of Using Paralegals.  Toni Marsh The George Washington University . WHO is your paralegal? . Who is your paralegal? A person who has chosen the profession A person who plans to make a career of it

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The WHO WHAT WHY and HOW of Using Paralegals

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  1. The WHO WHAT WHY and HOW of Using Paralegals  Toni Marsh The George Washington University  You may freely reproduce and use this presentation as long as you credit Toni Marsh, The George Washington University paralegal studies program

  2. WHO is your paralegal? • Who is your paralegal? • A person who has chosen the profession • A person who plans to make a career of it • A college graduate who has a post-baccalaureate certificate or master’s degree • A person who CHOSE to become a paralegal rather than a lawyer You may freely reproduce and use this presentation as long as you credit Toni Marsh, The George Washington University paralegal studies program

  3. WHAT does your paralegal know? • Your paralegal’s program • Subject to rigorous assessment and overview • Reviewed by attorneys, working paralegals, and professional educators • Curriculum geared to local legal market • Ensure graduates possess the skills, knowledge, and abilities to succeed in the legal field. You may freely reproduce and use this presentation as long as you credit Toni Marsh, The George Washington University paralegal studies program

  4. WHAT does your paralegal know? • Print and electronic legal research • Legal, business, scholarly writing • Rules of procedure, evidence, court • Motion practice • Substantive law You may freely reproduce and use this presentation as long as you credit Toni Marsh, The George Washington University paralegal studies program

  5. WHAT can your paralegal do? • LexisNexis and Westlaw • Case, statutory, legislative, regulatory, and academic research using electronic or print resources • Briefs, pleadings, discovery documents, applications, forms, business letters, and other legal and professional documents • E-filing, e-discovery, billing software, trial software • Trial Director, CaseMap, TimeMap, Summation, Concordance, CourtLink, LiveNote You may freely reproduce and use this presentation as long as you credit Toni Marsh, The George Washington University paralegal studies program

  6. WHY use paralegals? • Money • Time • Productivity • Client satisfaction • Lawyer and paralegal lifestyle You may freely reproduce and use this presentation as long as you credit Toni Marsh, The George Washington University paralegal studies program

  7. WHY use paralegals? • Money • Average in-house attorney salary • $78,449 – 124,101 • http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Attorney_%2F_Lawyer_%28Corporate,_in-house%29/Salary • Average corporate paralegal salary • $46,152 – 70, 463 • http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Corporate_Paralegal/Salary You may freely reproduce and use this presentation as long as you credit Toni Marsh, The George Washington University paralegal studies program

  8. WHY use paralegals? • Assess tasks – are associates doing paralegals’ work? • What Paralegals Do (And Lawyers Shouldn’t Do) • For example: drafting documents, interviewing clients, scheduling, legal research, investigation, completing forms You may freely reproduce and use this presentation as long as you credit Toni Marsh, The George Washington University paralegal studies program

  9. HOW to use your paralegal • Understand what paralegals cannot do: • Accept cases • Set fees • Depositions • Sign legal documents • Advocate • Give legal advice You may freely reproduce and use this presentation as long as you give full credit to Toni Marsh, The George Washington University paralegal studies program

  10. HOW to use your paralegal • Start small and build confidence • Increase rigor and frequency of tasks • Allow paralegals to establish processes • Allow paralegals to fail in controlled circumstances You may freely reproduce and use this presentation as long as you credit Toni Marsh, The George Washington University paralegal studies program

  11. HOW to get the most from your paralegals • Increase autonomy • Build trust • Display confidence • Promote professional development • Provide opportunities for networking and growth You may freely reproduce and use this presentation as long as you credit Toni Marsh, The George Washington University paralegal studies program

  12. HOW to get the most from your paralegals • Attorneys must take the initiative – your paralegals may not. You may freely reproduce and use this presentation as long as you credit Toni Marsh, The George Washington University paralegal studies program

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