Ever since the profession came into being in the early 1970's, various approaches have been used to define and explain the profession of the PARALEGAL.

However, it is correct to describe paralegals as LEGAL TECHNICIANS.

Paralegals do the actual work of the LAW in law offices - that is, they do the research, write the letters, draft the pleadings, and so on.

A properly educated and experienced paralegal will know almost as much, and even more, about an area of the law as an attorney will.  This is partly because attorneys are in court all the time (ideally) but the paralegals are in the BOOKS all the time.

What this means to the prospective purchaser of legal services IS, that there is a great SIMILARITY OF KNOWLEDGE - the two positions, that of an attorney, and that of a paralegal, share MANY of the same attributes and characteristics.

MUCH could be said about this topic - but this is an overview.

Now go to the page and read about the Law of Thirds...