In the 1970's, the use of secretaries and clerks to assist attorneys in their own practice first evolved within the law firm. In
addition to performing basic clerical job duties, secretaries began assisting their attorneys with basic legal services, such as
interviewing clients, docket management and case follow-up. Attorneys promoted their secretaries to the status of ' legal
assistant' as the need for additional help, other than clerical, greatly increased. This widely popular practice led some universities
and colleges throughout the country to initiate pilot “legal assistant” programs.
By the 1980's, “legal assistants” were formally classified by industry standards as “…trained members of the legal community, who
are not licensed to practice, law….” Over time, legal assistants started conducting advanced legal work such as legal research,
drafting pleadings, and briefs, job duties similar to those given to a first year law student intern. “The paralegal is considered an
advanced legal assistant who is highly skilled and has advanced knowledge of the court system.” However, to make the definition
consistent and uniform, the American Bar Association's (ABA) Standing Committee on Paralegals, defines the legal assistant or
paralegal as:
“... a person qualified by education, training or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation,
governmental agency or other entity who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible.”
(Adopted by the ABA in 1997)
The use of paralegals by attorneys in the law firm became not only practical and necessary, but very economical. “Paralegals
increased the gross income of law firms, without raising the cost of delivery of legal services to the public, which in turn increased
the public’s ability to afford an attorney when in need of legal representation services.” However, because of long work hours,
underpaid salaries, lack of recognition and/or acceptance by attorneys as professionals in the legal field, paralegals began to break
away from the traditional law firm setting to seek work as independent contractors.
In the mid to late 1980's, numerous paralegals started working on their own as freelance paralegals, conducting the majority of
work away from the law office and in their own home or office.
The Paralegal profession is one of the fastest growing professions today.” According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of
Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition, Paralegals and Legal Assistants, Paralegals and legal assistants
held about 224,000 jobs in 2004. “Private law firms employed 7 out of 10 paralegals and legal assistants; most of the remainder
worked for corporate legal departments and various levels of government.
Within the Federal Government, the U.S. Department of Justice is the largest employer, followed by the Social Security
Administration and the U.S. Department of the Treasury. A small number of paralegals own their own businesses and work as
freelance legal assistants, contracting their services to attorneys or corporate legal departments.”
Information above extracted in part from Deborah E. Larbalestrier's, “Paralegal Practice & Procedure”
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