Accreditation | Curriculum | Faculty and Staff | Costs & Financial Aid | Honor Code

In the few decades of their formal existence, paralegals have become established members of the legal community. Interviewing clients, investigating facts, drafting documents and researching the law are typical tasks performed by paralegals under the supervision of an attorney. Paralegals, also known as legal assistants, work in private law firms, corporations, banks, insurance and real estate agencies, title companies, courts and government agencies. The undeniable cost efficiency of using paralegals has made this field one of the fastest-growing occupations in the United States.

The American Bar Association has defined a paralegal as "a person, qualified by education, training or work experience, who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible."

The North Carolina State Bar approved the Plan for Certification of Paralegals and it was adopted by the North Carolina Supreme Court in 2004. This Plan now regulates the use of the term “North Carolina Certified Paralegal” or “NCCP”. The purpose of the plan is to assist in the continuation of developing paralegal standards, raise the profile of the paralegal profession, signify a greater level of achievement, and standardize the expectations of the public and other legal professionals.

At the current time, other than North Carolina’s voluntary certification plan, paralegals are not licensed or regulated by any governmental entity. (California has a law specifying who may use the title of paralegal, but it has no enforcement mechanism. Some other states are considering legislation.) Employers therefore prefer paralegals who have obtained certain academic qualifications - usually a bachelor's degree and a paralegal certificate. The quality of the paralegal educational program is a key factor in preparation for this career. The most widely recognized indication of quality is approval by the American Bar Association, which specifies high standards for a paralegal program's curriculum, faculty, resources and student services.

Some typical responsibilities of three types of paralegals are described below.

Corporate Paralegal

• Drafts and files documents for corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships and other business organizations
• Reserves corporate names and prepares assumed name applications
• Maintains corporate minute books, stock ledgers and corporate seals
• Drafts notices of directors' meetings and corporate resolutions
• Prepares documentation for annual and special meetings of shareholders
• Assists with due diligence for corporate mergers and acquisitions
• Organizes and maintains library of state and federal corporate forms
• Drafts correspondence with clients, accountants, government offices and businesses

Civil Litigation Paralegal

• Conducts initial client interviews
• Collects factual information, using public records, on-line resources, etc.
• Photographs accident scenes, evidence and parties
• Locates witnesses and obtains statements
• Reviews documents and physical evidence
• Organizes and maintains client files
• Drafts and files court pleadings
• Indexes and summarizes documents and deposition transcripts
• Prepares and reviews responses to discovery requests
• Arranges for publication of legal notices
• Prepares witnesses for deposition and trial
• Locates and interviews expert witnesses
• Performs legal research
• Prepares trial notebooks, witness lists, exhibit lists and other material for trial
• Assists attorneys at trial
• Drafts settlement documents and releases

Real Estate Paralegal

• Drafts documents for real estate closings
• Sets up land trusts and drafts land trust agreements
• Orders title commitments and tract book searches and reviews exceptions to title
• Orders and reviews plat of survey
• Deals with lenders, utilities, tenants and local governments
• Assists attorneys at closings
• Coordinates post-closing matters such as recording documents, wiring funds, issuance of title insurance policies and preparing closing documents binders
• Drafts condominium declarations and by-laws
• Prepares and perfects mechanics' liens
• Assists with litigation involving real estate