Litigation paralegals have varying responsibilities, but generally help attorneys prepare for trial by organizing and preparing documents, handling logistics, and appearing in court. They may also be responsible for maintaining databases, working with witnesses and clients, and ensuring compliance with court rules.
The duties of a litigation paralegal vary widely from law firm to law firm. Some litigation paralegals are given a large amount of responsibility, while others are quite restricted and have responsibilities that resemble secretarial-type duties. Generally, a litigation paralegal helps an attorney prepare for the trial. She can organize and prepare documents, prepare witness statements, and handle deposition and trial logistics. She can also file documents with the court and appear at trial in support of the attorney.
There are many steps before a trial begins and during the course of a trial that may require the assistance of a qualified litigation paralegal. When a new case is accepted by a law firm, the litigation paralegal can prepare the case file and organize the documents. For example, she will ensure that the files are arranged chronologically or in any order used by lawyers in the law firm. She may work to coordinate document production with other law firms as well. In many cases, before the documents can be produced, the paralegal will number all the pages of the documents, redact or hide certain information, make copies and index the documents.
Many law firms have complex computer databases. The litigation paralegal may be responsible for developing and maintaining these databases. Through the database, a paralegal can search for documents and take computerized notes. Although the paralegal may have help from case assistants and technology assistants, most of the responsibility for the databases may fall on their shoulders.
In some law firms, a judicial litigation works in close contact with witnesses and clients. She can set up depositions and interviews or meetings with lawyers. She can create memos from notes taken by an attorney regarding a particular client or witness. If she is supervised by an attorney, she can collect and prepare relevant documents, prepare and organize exhibits, and ensure that exhibits are handled properly during the course of a deposition.
Sometimes a litigation paralegal is responsible for reading, reviewing, and correcting memos, motions, and summaries. If case law is quoted or referred to in writing, she may be asked to verify the source or citation. In many cases, if the exhibits are attached to the motion, brief or memorandum, they will also be organized by the paralegal. If a form is used for a motion, the paralegal may even fill it out and have an attorney review it before submitting it to the court.
Some law firms require the paralegal to know the rules of the court. As a result, they must be able to relay deadlines and present details to the attorney. For example, some courts require motions to be typed in a certain size font, while others require the caption to be set up in a specific way.
At trial, the litigation paralegal will typically be responsible for many details during the course of the trial. She may be responsible for following up on the exposures of each part of the case, for example. She may also be in charge of mundane tasks, such as bringing lunch or coffee to the attorney at trial.
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