Paralegals do independent legal work under the general supervision of lawyers. They perform routine legal and administrative functions and assist lawyers with more complex matters.

Under the direction and supervision of one or more lawyers, paralegals may:

• draft legal documents such as pleadings, wills, real estate documents, interlocutory applications and corporate documents
• draft and follow up correspondence
• submit documents for registration with appropriate agencies (for example, Corporate Registry, Land Titles, Provincial Court)
• conduct tax, land title and other legal searches
• assist with real estate, mortgage, estate administration, corporate, tax and intellectual law transactions
• assist in various aspects of personal injury litigation, civil litigation and family law
• organize documents
• attend Examinations for Discovery and court proceedings to assist lawyers with document management and retrieval
• assist in preparation for and, in some cases, attend business transaction closings
• interview witnesses and assemble documentary evidence for trials
• act as a liaison between clients and lawyers when lawyers are unavailable
• develop office procedure and computer functions to improve efficiency
• perform related administrative functions.

Paralegals work in an office environment. They usually work a standard work week but must be prepared to work overtime to meet deadlines.

Paralegals need related post-secondary education or equivalent experience. Strong keyboarding, writing, editing, word processing and computer skills are required.

In Alberta, the following institutions offer Legal Assistant or Paralegal programs:

• Bow Valley College in Calgary offers a two year Legal Assistant diploma program. The entrance requirement is high school diploma with English Langauge Arts 30-1 or 30-2 and a Grade 10 math (excluding the 14 and 16 levels) or equivalent.  
• The CDI College of Business, Technology and Healthcare,  a private vocational school located in Calgary and Edmonton, offers a 54 week Professional Legal Assistant program. The entrance requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent.
• Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton offers a two year Legal Assistant diploma program that is also available part-time (evenings). The entrance requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent with English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2 and a keyboard entrance test (30 words per minute or better). 
• Red Deer College offers a two year Legal Assistant diploma program. The entrance requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent, and an essay. 
• Reeves College, a private vocational school in Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge and Lloydminster, offers a 65 week Paralegal program. The entrance requirement is a high school diploma with a Grade 12 English and a Grade 10 math, or equivalent.  
• The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) in Calgary offers a two year Legal Assistant diploma program. The entrance requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent with English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2. SAIT also offers this program through Continuing Education.

For information about related legal administrative assistant programs, see the Legal Secretary occupational profile.

For current information about programs, admission requirements and mature student admission policies, please check post-secondary calendars or websites. Continuing education programs may be offered on an as needed basis.

Prior to enrolling in a formal training program, prospective students should contact the program(s) of their choice, the Law Society of Alberta, the Canadian Bar Association (Alberta Branch), the Alberta Association of  Professional Paralegals or a sampling of law firms and other potential employers to investigate the suitability of the program and current employment prospects for graduates.

The Legal Education Society of Alberta (LESA) offers professional development courses for those who are already employed in legal support staff positions.

Paralegals work under the supervision of lawyers in law firms, court systems and the legal departments of large organizations. Graduates of Legal Assistant education programs are usually hired as legal assistants. Full paralegal status and responsibility usually requires additional work experience.

Advancement opportunities are limited in this occupation.

Paralegals are part of the larger National Occupational Classification 4211: Paralegal and Related Occupations. In Alberta, 88 per cent of people employed in this classification work in the following industries:

• Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
• Public Administration.

The employment outlook in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including:

• trends and events affecting overall employment (especially in the industries listed above)
• location in Alberta
• employment turnover (work opportunities generated by people leaving existing positions)
• occupational growth (work opportunities resulting from the creation of new positions that never existed before)
• size of the occupation.

Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next ten years.

Salaries for legal assistants and paralegals vary considerably depending on location, employer and the person's qualifications.

According to the 2007 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey, Albertans in the Paralegal and Related Occupations group working part-time or full-time earned from $27,700 to $55,700 a year. The average salary was $42,500 a year.

Post-secondary institution calendars and websites (see Educational Requirements above)

EDinfo website:  www.alis.alberta.ca/edinfo

Alberta Association of Professional Paralegals (AAPP) website: www.alberta-paralegal.com/

Legal Education Society of Alberta (LESA) website: www.lesa.org