Assignment 1: Avoiding Unauthorized Practice of Law

It is widely known that utilizing paralegals is a frequent concern for practicing attorneys, especially when a paralegal’s actions may leave them performing tasks (e.g., advising on legal rights, negotiation or settlement, management of a law practice, etc.) which could result in the unauthorized practice of law.  Per the American Bar Association, one must possess a law license in order to perform such tasks.

Write a five to six (5-6) page paper in which you:

1. Determine three (3) most important characteristics of an effective paralegal. Justify your response.

2. Develop at least three (3) general guidelines for conducting legal research that a new paralegal should follow on in order to ensure that the attorney for whom the paralegal works is referencing valid laws within his / her legal documents.

3. Propose two (2) strategies that a paralegal could take in order to avoid the unauthorized practice of law. Provide a rationale to support your response. 

4. Compare and contrast the key differences between the activities of paralegals versus those of attorneys in preparing a case for trial.

5. Give three specific examples of how you can use “paralegal skills” in your current activities or future plans.

Use at least two (2) quality references. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not quality as academic resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.