Paralegal School: Hottest Paralegal Practice Areas

If you're thinking of going to paralegal school, you should know about the specialty areas that paralegals work in. Paralegal work varies, depending on the law firm, its needs and clients.

In smaller general practice law firms, for example, your daily practice may depend on the specific needs of the clients on a given day. If your clients need a will, then you will be looking into estate planning and probate. If they are getting a divorce, that specialty is called family law. They may buy or sell a business or piece of property. General practice clients have a wide range of needs, and your paralegal school will teach you about all the different paralegal fields.

In contrast, paralegals in larger law firms typically work in one or two specific areas, such as corporate law or litigation. And in law firms that concentrate on one particular area of law, paralegals focus exclusively in that specialty. If this is your focus, you should pursue additional course work in your paralegal school.

Here are a few of the most common areas of paralegal practice:

Litigation Paralegal

Most paralegals work in litigation, the settling of disputes through the judicial system (in other words, lawsuits). There are always specific courses on litigation procedures in paralegal school, covering such subjects as the rules of civil procedure and discovery. There are two main types of litigation: civil and criminal. Criminal cases involve violations of the rules of society. Theft, drunk driving and assault are examples. Civil litigation refers to areas of the law that aren't criminal, such as disputes over contractual obligations or property. Civil litigation sometimes involves court battles, but most lawsuits are settled before going to trial. In either case, there's a lot of work for paralegals to do.

The work of a litigation paralegal often includes the following job duties:

• Interviewing witnesses
• Analyzing and digesting legal documents
• Investigating facts
• Performing legal and factual research
• Drafting pleadings, legal memoranda and briefs
• Keeping track of court dates and deadlines
• Assisting in trial preparation and at trial
• Aiding in preparing appeals

Estate Planning and Probate Paralegal

Estate planning generally involves helping clients draft documents and utilize procedures to determine who will receive their property after they die. When a deceased person has not made legal arrangements governing these determinations prior to death, that person's property is distributed according to state laws through a legal procedure called probate. This specialty area also includes creating court documents for guardianships or conservatorships, which are legal arrangements that respectively govern the care of children or adults who are deemed incompetent. While there may not be a required course on estates and probate in paralegal school, you may be able to take an elective or get on-the-job training if this is your area of interest.

Paralegals who specialize in estate planning and probate are typically responsible for the following:

• Interviewing clients
• Arranging for collection
• Valuing and transferring assets
• Administering estate accounts
• Drafting and filing state and federal tax returns
• Drafting wills and other estate planning documents

Corporate Paralegal

Corporate law deals with the formation of business entities and the execution of business transactions such as mergers or stock offerings. Corporate law contains the subspecialty of intellectual property—the laws that protect the inventions and ideas of businesses and individuals. Patents, trademarks and copyrights are examples of intellectual property, which is often an elective class you can take in paralegal school.

A corporate paralegal's practice often includes these duties:

• Drafting partnership and corporate formation documents
• Maintaining corporate minute books and resolutions
• Fulfilling securities reporting requirements
• Helping prepare and file annual financial reports
• Conducting due diligence for business transactions
• Drafting shareholder agreements and stock-option plans
• Monitoring and reviewing government regulations to ensure legal business operation
• Conducting patent and trademark searches
• Preparing for board meetings

Employment Law or Labor Law Paralegal

Employment law governs the relationships and responsibilities between employers and employees. Paralegals who specialize in employment law develop knowledge in all areas of the employment relationship, including human resources, hiring and termination, workers' compensation, unemployment, and claims of discrimination or other wrongdoing. Employment law contains the subspecialty of labor law, which regulates the organization and activity of labor unions.

An employment law paralegal's work includes:

• Drafting employee policies and employment handbooks
• Drafting pleadings and affidavits in employment disputes
• Investigating wrongful termination or other claims
• Helping facilitate positions in organized labor campaigns
• Performing work similar to litigation paralegals when preparing for trial

Real Estate Paralegal

Real estate law involves the purchase, sale, finance and leasing of residential or commercial property. Paralegals working in a real estate practice deal with the documents that allow for the legal transfer or use of property such as titles, deeds, mortgages and leases. When a deal closes, real estate paralegals are often responsible for making sure things go smoothly. This specialty may or may not be specifically covered in paralegal school, although contract law is normally a required course.

Typical duties of a real estate paralegal include:

• Drafting transaction documents
• Preparing for closings
• Performing due diligence
• Managing and indexing transaction documents and closing binders
• Coordinating closing of escrow
• Researching title and administrative processes involved in land use and environmental regulations

Government Paralegal

A government paralegal works for any local, state or federal government agency. Many paralegals find jobs working for the Federal Trade Commission, the Justice Department, even the White House. Paralegals also often find jobs in the court system. Depending upon the agency or area of practice, government paralegals perform a wide range of duties, including conducting investigations and collecting and evaluating evidence.

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