Why do you want to be a Paralegal? By: Rachel G. Roberson

I want to be a paralegal because this profession allows you to make a difference in the lives of others while impacting the world in a meaningful way. A paralegal will often interact with people, businesses, organizations and the community and can shape how others view and are affected by the law. Paralegals are front-line advocates for their clients and their skills allow them to work in various roles that serve the greater good. The greatest impact a paralegal can make is to improve the wealth of knowledge that others have of the legal community and how it affects others. As a paralegal I plan to continue to make an impact on the non-profit organizations at which I am currently employed by. I currently work as a Legal Assistant for two Non-Profit, Rural Electric Cooperatives that are member-owned. Non-profit rural electric cooperatives are fundamental within our communities because they promote the seven (7) Cooperative Principles which are: (1) Concern for community; (2) Democratic Member Control; (3) Member economic participation; (4) Voluntary and open membership; (5) Autonomy and independence; (6) Education, training and information, and; (7) Cooperation among Cooperatives. Not only do these Cooperatives provide electric utilities to underserved rural communities but they give back to their members by providing educational opportunities, electric initiatives and economic benefits to their local communities. Non-profits serve an important role in linking communities and organizations to the assets they need by providing opportunities they otherwise would not be capable of reaching. The Cooperative principles listed above overlap with many of the legal Rules of Professional Conduct that are instilled upon paralegal professionals in their day-to-day work responsibilities. Paralegal professionals impact their local communities by using their legal skills to advocate for those in need of a helping hand on their legal journey. A concern for your community is a significant responsibility placed in the hands of paralegals. Paralegals have the privilege of guiding and advocating for clients in challenging legal matters. While paralegals cannot provide legal advice, their skills serve as respected tools in diverse communities to contribute vital assistance to their clientele. A paralegal can also have a significant impact on clients by utilizing the paralegal education, training and legal information to inform others and act as an activist on their behalf. Paralegal education and training is indispensable to the attorney(s) the paralegal is supporting and plays an impactful role to clients in a vulnerable situation. Paralegals provide up- to-date research, office tasks, scheduling and advanced essential functions in order to support legal professionals at the highest level possible. Being able to utilize your skills and relevant information is impactful in corporate, office and personal settings to be the best advocate you can be for both your community and clients. Paralegals can use their profession to not only assist others but can affect change within the legal professional community by affecting rules that can widen the paralegal's impact and visibility. You can have a significant impact on the paralegal profession by implementing and sustaining the highest standards of ethics as a legal professional. These ethics include maintaining professional relationships, confidentiality, and avoiding conflicts of interests. By setting high standards for yourself and your work product you have the opportunity to provide the best support for your attorney( s) and clients (whether they be a corporation, a non-profit or an individual). Your work product must be supported by legal research, court decisions and judicial opinions. Ethics play a significant role in your work product by incorporating legal statutes, research and case law that can set precedents to support or disprove the matter at hand. Sharing your experiences and asking questions with other non-lawyer support professionals maintains open communications within the legal community and provides support for younger paralegal professionals. Your work as a paralegal can impact how others view the legal community and professional legal standards. Paralegals provide a link between attorneys and the general public and are an example of how non-legal professionals can assist both parties to make a difference with their contributions. The day-to-day work of paralegals helps to not only spearhead the efforts of the attorneys they work for, but also advocate for the clients. Paralegals impact the legal community by providing legal assistance and fair treatment for all while also inspiring others. An experienced professional paralegal can also provide a direct influence to others within the legal industry and can also serve as a mentor to others. The relationships that paralegals establish with others in the legal field can create change and promote advocacy for others. The National Federation of Paralegal Associations ("NFPA") believes that "Paralegals can benefit the community, the private bar, the judiciary, and the paralegal profession by volunteering their time, abilities, and skills as trained legal professionals" (National Federation of Paralegal Associations, 2020). A paralegal professional can impact many facets of the legal field through their organizational skills, diligent legal research and diverse skill set that can impact various community organizations and clients. Paralegals are constantly cultivating their skill set and have the ability to tackle issues and problems before being asked or directed to. Successful paralegals must have good judgment and be resourceful in high pressure situations to find quick solutions. Other fundamental skills that a paralegal professional can develop to excel within the legal community are multi-tasking, organizational skills and paying close attention to detail. Incorporating all of these traits and skills makes a paralegal capable of handling a variety of legal matters in the best possible way. Paralegals serve as the heart of not only a law firm but of the legal community. The significant responsibility and role that paralegals carry on a daily basis directly impacts the legal community and the lives of individuals they assist. Overall, paralegal professions play a valuable role in serving not only clients but also their community as a whole. Paralegals have the responsibility to serve their clients and employers in responsible ways. Paralegals are essential tools in supporting all avenues of legal matters. By utilizing their education, serving their community and maintaining the highest standards of ethics, the paralegal profession has the potential to impact those underserved within our community. After achieving my paralegal certification I hope to impact the legal world by providing my services at the highest standards and assisting those that may not understand the legal world. I plan to be their "link" to the legal community. The paralegal profession gives greater visibility to the legal community and provides the opportunity for advocacy for the underserved and those most in need. I am optimistic and look forward to having the opportunity to help the paralegal profession grow by providing vital legal resources while serving and advocating for others. By assisting others within our community, paralegals can cement the significance of our job duties and responsibilities to those we serve and the causes for which we can advocate for. Even though the paralegal role is a driving force in the completion of legal tasks and research, in many ways paralegal professionals serve as unsung heroes that link the general public to those of legal authority. I want to be a paralegal to serve the greater good and lead my community with a strong moral compass.

References National Federation of Paralegal Associations, I. (2020, November 21). NFPA. Retrieved from NFP A: https://www.paralegals.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm ?pageid=3 268