A paralegal or legal assistant helps lawyers compile the legal information that is needed for a case. This information includes researching laws, reviewing subpoenas and other legal documents, interviewing clients, drafting plea agreements, organizing files and tracking the entire case.
They may be employed by a single attorney, a law firm, a large corporation or a government office.
Though they cannot provide legal advice directly to a client or represent a client in court, they play an extremely important role in what the acting attorney delivers to the courtroom. There are various types, such as nurse, patent, immigration, real estate and bankruptcy paralegals/legal assistants.