Paralegal services: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering paralegal services

Paralegal work is about accuracy, organization and knowing your limits. Showing clear scope and supervision builds trust with lawyers and clients.

What customers ask

  • Can you give legal advice?
  • Who supervises your work?
  • How quickly can you turn around a project?
  • How do you protect confidential files?
  • What do you charge for a project like mine?

How to win the job

  • Say on the first call who supervises you and what you can and cannot do
  • Show a sample deliverable with details removed, such as a document index
  • State your turnaround time for typical projects
  • Describe your confidentiality practice
  • List the practice areas and e-filing systems you know
  • Put scope and billing method in writing

What to put on your profile

  • Practice areas you support
  • Training or certificates
  • Tasks you offer, listed individually
  • Software and filing systems you use

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer ongoing file maintenance for active matters
  • Provide deadline calendars for recurring filings
  • Offer to update document indexes as new records arrive

Licenses and permits

Paralegals typically do not need a license, but must stay within the limits on unauthorized practice of law. Check state rules and any certification programs.

Questions

Can I advise members of the public?

Generally no. Work under a lawyer or refer clients to a licensed attorney.

What should I put in my agreement?

Supervisor, scope, confidentiality, billing method and turnaround.

Pro reviewers

Pros who offer paralegal services remotely can improve this guide, like Wikipedia. We check every edit before it goes live. Every approved edit is credited in the edit history and on the pro's profile.

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About this guide

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