Ten Things Every Paralegal Should Know

• Author: Scott A. Hatch/Lisa Zimmer Hatch
• Profession: Founders of The Center for Legal Studies and developed their award-winning paralegal curriculum in 1980, offering it through 600 colleges nationwide
• Pages: 305-308

CHAPTER 20 Ten Things Every Paralegal Should Know 305

Chapter20

Ten Things Every

Paralegal Should Know

No paralegal knows everything. One of the great things about the legal pro-

fession is that you face new challenges all the time. Most of what you need

to know as a paralegal you learn on the job as you gain experience. There

are a few things, however, that you’re expected to know when you start the job. If

you know these ten things, you can start o your paralegal career on the right foot!

How to Ask for Help

At the top of the list of things you need to know as a paralegal is what to do when you

don’t know something. Throughout your career, you’ll encounter concepts, tasks, and

aspects of the law that you’re not familiar with. There may even be times when you

realize that you won’t be able to complete an assignment on time. When this hap-

pens, you need to be able to ask your colleagues and your supervisor for assistance.

People who choose the legal profession are often condent go-getters, with a

strong sense of their own abilities. If this is you, just remember that you’re work-

ing for a client and billing that client for the hours that you work. So when you’re

tempted to try to do it all yourself, refrain! Everyone needs help— after all, the

reason that you’re working on the case in the rst place is because the attorneys

couldn’t do it without your help!

IN THIS CHAPTER

»

Knowing what lines you shouldn’t

cross

»

Getting your message across

»

Figuring out your job’s requirements