Paralegal vs. Lawyer: Things You have To know

What is the difference between a lawyer and paralegal? First of all, the amount of jokes that are made about them. There are plenty of things to look at and compare between these two careers which are more significant than the amount of times each is the basis of an absurd joke. Lawyers and paralegals have a significant role to play in the legal system, however it’s normal to be uncertain about the specifics of each job.

If you’re looking to determine the best career path for you or simply want to know who’s whom within the legal system You’ve arrived at the right spot. We’re here to discuss the differences between lawyers and paralegals, by highlighting the different salaries and career prospects, as well as the job tasks and the education requirements for each.

There are a few significant distinctions between these jobs that have pros and cons to each. You’ll need to weigh both the positive and negative aspects in assessing a possible career in law. Utilize this guide to assist you in your search.

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The difference between a paralegal and Lawyer: Work responsibilities

The roles that lawyers and paralegals perform have some overlap. Both conduct research and write legal documents. Paralegals typically do a lot of the legwork required by lawyers and prepare for a case. This involves analysing the details of a case and making reports as well as filing and organizing crucial documents, and arranging dates for depositions and interviews for instance.

Paralegals and lawyers are likely to be working for long hours and meet deadlines from time to time. It is crucial to be aware beforehand in case you aren’t able to stand up to pressure well or aren’t seeking an occupation that could be stressful.

The main difference between the job of a paralegal and lawyer is the courtroom. Lawyers are in the spotlight when they address the jury, judge or witnesses. The high-profile aspect that lawyers enjoy might be appealing, but it is a source of attention and stress. One tiny error could have a huge impact on the final outcome of a trial.

It’s not that working as a paralegal is completely easy–mistakes during your preparation work can be equally damaging, but you do have some protection through an attorney supervising you. A significant difference between lawyers and paralegals is that lawyers alone can determine fees, provide legal advice, go to courts and make legal signatures.

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.

The difference between a paralegal and. lawyer: Salaries and outlook for career

Another crucial aspect to take into consideration when considering law-related careers, is earnings potential and market for those jobs. How do they compare?

The median annual salary in 2020 to lawyers was $126,930 that’s more than twice that of the 52,000-dollar median for paralegals as reported by of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This pay gap is substantial, however it’s just one aspect of the calculation.

Lawyers certainly earn a lot more when compared to paralegals however, their prospects for employment aren’t as clear of a benefit. Although the BLS estimates the number of lawyers employed to increase by four percent by 2029–which is on par with the average national rate across all occupations–the BLS states that competition for positions is still fierce since there are more lawyers who have graduated from law school than jobs open.

The market for jobs that is open to recent college graduates have witnessed significant shifts in the last few years. It was the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) is an organisation that studies and tracks the outcomes of law schools, discovered it that 67.7 percent of law school graduates in 2016 interviewed were employed in positions that required the passing of a bar exam in the state. The great news for potential lawyers is that there’s seen a bit of a adjustment since the time of the survey. In the year 2019, NALP found that 76.2 percent of law school graduates were employed in jobs that required passing the bar. ³ While this is a significant improvement however, it comes with the caveat that the graduation rate was less all-around.

However it is the BLS anticipates that the number of paralegals employed will rise by 10 % between 2019 and 2029. ¹ The BLS states that a portion of this growth is due to major law firms, as well as large corporations seeking to reduce their legal costs, and so they’ve been hiring paralegals to handle a larger portion of the lawful work. ¹ With this change, some lawful work which might be the responsibility of lower-level lawyers in the past is now in the hands of paralegals. This trend is not limited to law firms as well. Many large companies are hiring the legal department of their company within the company to cut down on the expense of hiring an outside lawyer.

Legal assistant vs. lawyer: Training and education needed

The process of becoming a lawyer involves much greater commitments in terms of money and time than is needed to become paralegal. The majority of lawyers attend school for seven years (assuming that it takes four years to get an undergraduate degree and three more years to finish legal school). Paralegals typically require the A.A. degree.

After completing their undergraduate degree prospective law students must take exams like the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) as part of their application to law schools. There’s no guarantee that they’ll be accepted, and top law schools are highly selective. The tight labor demand for attorneys is as evident in the intense competition of law school. Law students compete to get into the most prestigious school. When they’re at school and have a team of classmates, they race to be the best of their class in hope of securing jobs at top law firms.

A further distinguishing factor and potential obstacle for attorneys is that they must that you be able to pass the bar exam within the state in which you are planning to practice. The format of this test varies from state to state, but typically it is essays and multiple-choice questions that test your knowledge of the law as a whole and in the state in which you intend to practice in. The bar exam’s passing within your particular state not a guaranteed. Minnesota is an example. Minnesota had an overall bar exam passing percentage that was 82.63 percent during the summer of the year 2020. ⁴ With the amount of money you’ve put in becoming a lawyer, not passing the bar exam could leave you in a difficult situation until you’re successful.

As you can see, the journey to becoming a lawyer isn’t a simple one. However, it’s doable when you have an idea of the requirements and how committed you’ll need to be in order to make it work.

What’s the decision?

Lawyers and paralegals share many overlapping tasks even though lawyers make more and hold a impressive designation, they do have some disadvantages.

The huge investment in time and money involved in becoming a lawyer together with the potential for roadblocks such as the job market being tough and strict admissions requirements making becoming a lawyer a difficult choice, especially in the event that your risk tolerance is low.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q. What is the difference between a paralegal and a lawyer?

Whereas a lawyer has a law degree and is licensed by a bar association to practise law, paralegals are trained in subsidiary legal matters, have less training and may provide legal advice on specific laws.

Q. Can a paralegal become a lawyer?

Paralegals can become lawyers by attending law school and passing the bar exam just like anyone else who aspires to become a lawyer. As paralegals, these types of professionals spend a lot of time assisting lawyers in their work.

Q. What are the most important differences between lawyers and paralegals?

The main difference between a paralegal and a lawyer is their duties in the courtroom. A paralegal is primarily concerned with case preparation, including ascertaining the facts of a case, writing reports, filing and organizing important paperwork, and scheduling times for interviews and depositions.

Q. Do paralegals go to court?

Paralegal duties would typically involve preparing legal documents, research, admin, providing quotes to clients, interviewing clients and witnesses, giving clients legal information, going to court and handling a caseload of clients.

Q Do I need a law degree to be a paralegal?

You do not need a Law Degree to become a paralegal. However, many employers look for legal or paralegal training. There are specialist qualifications for paralegals, developed to give you the skills and knowledge to work effectively as a paralegal.