What's the difference between a lawyer and a paralegal?

Aug 14, 2024

Written By Thomas Cserep

Paralegals and lawyers both work in law firms. However, their educational backgrounds and their responsibilities at the workplace are quite different. We shall consider how the two roles differ, which in turn can help you decide which pathway is the right one for you.

The fundamental differences

A lawyer is a legal professional who is qualified to provide legal advice. The term is used to collectively refer to a variety of legal practitioners, including solicitors, legal executives and barristers.

On the contrary, while they do work in the legal industry, paralegals are not qualified to give legal advice and represent clients by themselves. Often referred to as legal assistants, the main function of paralegals is to support the work of lawyers.

Qualifying as a lawyer and paralegal

The road to becoming a lawyer is much more rigorous than that of a paralegal. Aspiring lawyers usually have studied law for their undergraduate degree. If they didn’t study law, they have to enrol on a law conversion course such as the Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDL), which will enable them to move onto the next step of their legal education.

Whether it is the Bar Course for aspiring barristers or the SQE exams for future solicitors, most lawyers have to complete a postgraduate assessment in order to attain their respective qualifications.

In addition to this, barristers and solicitors have to undertake mandatory work experience before obtaining their right to practice. For solicitors, this would involve a two-year training contract or two years qualifying work experience, while barristers need to do a 12-month pupillage before being able to practice independently.

On the other hand, paralegals do not need to obtain a specific qualification in order to fulfil their role. Many paralegals choose to study law at university, which provides them with a firm grounding in the field. Paralegals without a legal education often choose to complete a law conversion course to get them up to scratch with the demands of the legal industry.

In fact, some aspiring solicitors have previously worked as paralegals. The position not only allows them to gain valuable experience in a legal setting, but also enhances their CV to maximise their chances of getting the most-sought after work experience.

Differences between the day-to-day work of a lawyer and paralegal

As lawyers are qualified legal practitioners, they are the ones who advise clients and provide legal services. They are responsible for heading a particular case and holding the initial meeting with the client. Lawyers have the final say on matters based on the evidence collected by others as they have the legal authority to do so.

Paralegals support the work of lawyers. Lawyers may have to handle multiple matters simultaneously, meaning they are not able to deal with all aspects of a particular case. Thus, paralegals are often entrusted with more laborious tasks, such as carrying out legal research and writing reports on findings. These will help summarise the case for the solicitor who the paralegal works with in order to help them make informed decisions and move the matter forward.

Paralegals are usually assigned more administrative tasks as well, such as organising files and being a point of contact between different lawyers. In many ways, they are the secretaries of the lawyers they work for, supporting them with their responsibilities and making sure that everything is in order.

Nonetheless, being a paralegal has a number of perks. Unlike lawyers, who have notoriously long hours, paralegals rarely work beyond their 9-to-5 schedule. There is also less pressure on them at the workplace, as the ultimate responsibility of the case’s success lies with the lawyer in charge of the matter.

Becoming a paralegal is also a quicker and cheaper route into the legal industry, as lawyers need to complete years of training before they are fully qualified. As you can see, the training pathway and the responsibilities of a lawyer and a paralegal are very different. It is up to you to decide which option is the right one for you.

Paralegal Work