The number of paralegals employed around the world has been growing significantly over the past few years. While paralegals are prohibited from performing many legal tasks, such as providing legal advice, acting as legal counsel in court and other duties that are considered to be practicing law, paralegals do perform a number of tasks that aid lawyers in their overall duties.

Paralegal programs are offered at many universities and colleges around the world. Paralegals perform duties such as aiding lawyers in real estate closings, hearings and trials. Those working for corporate lawyers often help prepare corporate documents. They are often used to find and identify specific laws related to a case as well as judicial decisions and legal articles. Once this information is found, a paralegal may prepare a written report for a lawyer to decide how a specific case may be handled. They help to prepare legal arguments, motions and draft pleadings for court, obtain needed affidavits and can often be found in courtrooms across the country aiding their employing attorneys during trials.

Other documents that paralegals may draft include mortgages, contracts and separation agreements. Again, paralegals are strictly prohibited from acting as an attorney. However, they do aid attorneys with a number of tasks that they are educated and qualified to perform.

In order to pursue a career in this field, a paralegal certificate or degree from an accredited paralegal school is often required. Since paralegals do help to perform many tasks related to the legal system, it is crucial that they have the training and education of these tasks. In order to obtain the correct certification, one can apply to schools that offer paralegal programs. These programs contain the needed classes that provide the education crucial to this field. Programs teaching paralegal studies typically include classes related to legal applications of computers and legal research. Many paralegal programs provide internship that gives students the opportunity to learn by practical experience.

There are paralegals employed in a variety of organizations. Law firms, government offices and many corporate legal departments employ paralegals to help with the legal paperwork and other tasks that an attorney must provide. Having a paralegal to help prepare legal documents and research gives the attorney much more time to work on the overall legalities of certain instances. Paralegals may help with litigation, personal injury, criminal law, employee benefits, labor laws, immigration, real estate, bankruptcy and a number of other areas within the law. The actual duties of a paralegal will strongly depend on the organization in which he or she works and on the type of work that that organization performs.

Paralegals who are employed within the public sector typically perform duties such as analyzing legal information, maintaining files and conducting research. Those working in government or community related programs typically offer assistance to those who are financially unstable and to the elderly. They may file documents, conduct research, and when authorized, may even represent their clients at administrative hearings when and if needed.