NCJ Number
62111
Date Published
1975
Length
51 pages
Annotation
THE STRUCTURE AND OPERATIONS ARE DESCRIBED FOR A CONSULTING FIRM COMPOSED PRIMARILY OF PARALEGALS, WHICH PROVIDES CONTRACTED TECHNICAL SERVICES TO LAWYERS AND SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC, AS PERMITTED BY LAW.
Abstract
THE PARALEGAL OCCUPATION HAS GROWN IN IMPORTANCE IN RECENT YEARS BECAUSE OF THE HEAVY WORKLOADS BORNE BY ATTORNEYS AND THE EXPENSE OF ATTORNEY TIME. THE CONSULTING FIRM, CALLED XYZ, INC. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS PAPER, CONSTITUTES A CREATIVE USE OF PARALEGAL TALENT. XYZ IS COMPOSED OF TWO SUBSIDIARY COMPONENT DIVISIONS: THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE DIVISION (TAD) AND THE COMMUNITY LEGAL RESOURCE CENTER (CLRC). TAD PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ATTORNEYS THROUGH A CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT THAT SPECIFIES THE SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED BY XYZ ON A GIVEN CASE. THE INTENT IS THAT THE ATTORNEY-TIME SAVED THROUGH THE WORK OF PARALEGALS WILL RESULT IN A GREATER VOLUME OF CASES HANDLED BY AN ATTORNEY AND REDUCED FEES TO CLIENTS. SHOULD IT BE FOUND THAT A CONTRACTING ATTORNEY'S FEES ARE NOT REDUCED AS A RESULT OF XYZ SERVICES, XYZ MAY DISCONTINUE SERVICE FOR THAT ATTORNEY. THE CLRC DIVISION OF XYZ PROVIDES LEGAL SERVICES TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THESE SERVICES, WHERE PERMITTED BY LAW, PROVIDE LOW-COST LEGAL SERVICES FOR MATTERS IN THE LEGAL DOMAIN BUT NOT NECESSARILY REQUIRING THE SERVICES OF AN ATTORNEY. SERVICES ARE PROVIDED IN THE FIELDS OF CONSUMER LAW, CORRECTIONAL LAW, AND PRACTICE BEFORE REGULATORY AND ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCIES, WHERE PERMITTED BY THE RULES. THE CLRC ALSO SPONSORS SEMINARS FOR LAYMEN AND LAWYERS IN NEW AREAS OF LAW. THE GENERAL ROLE AND SKILLS OF THE PARALEGAL ARE DESCRIBED, ALONG WITH THE STANDARDS OF LEGAL ETHICS APPLICABLE TO THE WORK OF PARALEGALS. FOOTNOTES AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)