When a legal need arises and spending the money to hire a high priced attorney isn't an option, hiring a paralegal is the answer to your immediate legal problem. People often don't realize that they can have the same/better result with a Paralegal as they would have using an attorney. With the exception of legal issues that involve a crime, many legal situations don't require an attorney. My suggestion to someone that isn't sure if they can use a paralegal is to research the answer for themselves and see if they can rely on the expertise of the paralegal. Most often when a paralegal is used instead of an attorney it is one third less of the cost! Here are a few of the legal issues that a Paralegal can be hired to do: Contracts Rental agreements Lease agreements Loan agreements Default on payment agreement with a creditor Modification of child visitation agreement with non-custodial parent Request for reimbursement of medical, daycare, and court ordered expenses Request for child support modification Business contracts Personal contracts for loans
Thank you for sharing this, Toni!
You have to be wary of Unauthorized Practice of Law (misdemeanor 2nd degree in my state) though and be aware of the rules and civil procedures of that jurisdiction and venue. It is true that there are tasks that a Paralegal or Legal Assistant can complete, however, even as an Independent Contractor, they are required by law to follow the canons outlined by NFPA, NALA, and the ABA. Hiring a paralegal or legal assistant could create ethical issues. A paralegal is required to be supervised by an Attorney, they cannot set rates, they must introduce themselves as paralegals, etc. There are a lot of issues that require examining.