Family law paralegals are indispensable members of a lawyer’s team when handling complex divorce and custody cases. They provide essential support by conducting research, preparing documents and overseeing cases.
Lawyer assistants also support their lawyers with presentations in court by creating charts and videos to explain the legal process. Furthermore, they stay up-to-date with new laws to be ready for whatever case comes their way.
Legal Research
Family law paralegals provide support to attorneys on domestic legal cases such as divorce proceedings and child custody disputes. Their duties may include preparing legal documents, conducting legal research and meeting with clients. Although not licensed to practice law themselves, family law paralegals help ensure all aspects of a case run smoothly by helping prepare legal documents, conducting research, meeting clients and meeting them for meetings or depositions as needed.
Paralegals typically earn higher earnings as their experience and responsibilities expand, with those holding advanced degrees or additional certifications having greater earning potential.
Family law paralegals in New York typically make an average annual salary of $55,000. Salaries may differ depending on firm size and responsibilities; those working for larger law firms may have to travel between offices more often than their smaller office counterparts, which could lower earnings. Senior-level paralegals also tend to command significantly higher pay than entry-level ones; bonus, profit sharing commissions or overtime pay can boost these earnings further.
Document Preparation
Paralegals vary in their duties depending on the size and structure of their firm, typically reviewing financial documents such as income tax returns, bank statements, investment records and pay stubs before creating documents for clients to sign. They often interview clients to learn their perspectives and motivations behind separation or divorce proceedings.
Additionally, attorneys must prepare legal documents and essential paperwork throughout a case – this may include motions, settlement agreements and legal judgments.
Family Law Paralegals can also aid their lawyers in court presentations by creating charts or videos that illustrate complex legal concepts for judges and juries. Such visual aids can make an invaluable difference when making their cases persuasively for clients. Family Law Paralegals will also attend court with them, to make sure all legal processes are abided by.
Case Management
Family law paralegals tend to devote most of their time managing casework, from scheduling important meetings and depositions through tracking deadlines and filing documents for filing. Their role also involves gathering comprehensive witness information – their full names, contact info, relationships to the client and occupations are just some of their duties.
Family law paralegals require excellent people skills in order to be effective. It is common for them to spend an extensive amount of time talking directly with clients who may be distressed over the complexity of their cases.
Family law paralegals typically work for law firms specializing in family matters; however, they can also be found working at government agencies and private organizations. Their salaries depend on the size of firm; larger firms tend to offer higher pay.
Client Contact
Family law paralegals tend to have high client contact ratios when compared with other specialties, due to the emotional and taxing nature of cases involving family law. Paralegals working in this field must possess strong people skills that allow them to diffuse a client’s anger after divorce proceedings or console them when custody battles go their way.
Clients need to gain trust before opening up about their case, otherwise information that may jeopardize or put them at risk will likely remain hidden, making preparing documents like Financial Standings Affidavits and Equitable Distribution (“ED”) Listings very challenging.
Paralegals who can form strong client relationships are an invaluable asset to their lawyers’ teams, helping to keep cases moving smoothly while making the process less taxing for all involved.
