A paralegal plays a vital role in the legal system, serving supervising attorneys in their practice and in the courtroom. From drafting legal documents to interviewing clients and assisting with trial preparation, a paralegal’s responsibilities cover almost any duty the attorney does except practice law. Of those responsibilities, trial preparation is most important. An effective paralegal should possess certain traits. These are particularly important to a litigation paralegal who accompanies an attorney to the courtroom:
Preparing for the courtroom.People’s lives – or at least livelihood – are at stake when they go to court, as is an attorney’s reputation. Having an attorney who is prepared and confident and presents his or her case well is important to the person or company represented. Behind a well-prepared attorney is a paralegal who has done due diligence to prepare the case. Thorough pretrial preparation can make the difference between winning or losing the case, and the paralegal is critical to that preparation. Create a plan or outline.Determine all the players in the case – the attorney, additional support staff, the witnesses – and coordinate their schedules. Your focus should be on the essential tasks the players must accomplish to impact the case in a positive manner.
Keep lines of communication open and clear.Constantly communicating with all parties on your legal team is an important part of your role as a paralegal.
Organize everything.You must organize all paperwork so that once the trial begins, your attorney will have everything he or she needs.
Pay attention to details.No matter how insignificant the detail seems, it could be relevant when it comes time to appear in court. You wouldn’t want to compromise the case if you’ve missed a filing deadline or overlooked important data.
Study the judge.It’s important to know the peculiarities of the judge on the case and what to expect in the courtroom. Talk to attorneys who have tried cases before the judge (if your attorney has not). Is the judge all business? Is he or she patient? Finding out as much as you can could actually help your chances. The last thing you want is to offend the judge in some way. Get your presentations ready.If you have exhibits or visual aids for the case, make sure that they are neat and clear – and adhere to the rules of the court.
Check out the courtroom.If you’re unfamiliar with the courtroom, it’s a good idea to check it out before the trial. Find out where to park and know how long it should take to get there. Once you’re inside, there’s more to consider.
Prep your attorney.Stress will undoubtedly be high for everyone working on the trial preparation. You can make it easier on your attorney by serving as a sounding board. Your attorney may ask you to help draft opening statements and/or closing arguments. He or she may instead want to have you listen to those statements. You can analyze them from different perspectives and offer constructive criticism. Throughout the trial preparation, keep your attorney focused and practice by doing a mock trial. Being well prepared leads to confidence in the courtroom. If you’ve crossed your t’s and dotted your i’s, you’ve done all you can. After that, it’s up to the judge. MTI College paralegal program.If you’re fascinated by the legal world but don’t want to invest the time to become an attorney, consider registering for the MTI Paralegal Studies program. In just two years, you can earn your associate’s degree in paralegal studies and head out to begin a career that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says is growing. If you have the interest and the necessary personal traits to become a paralegal, enroll now in the MTI College Paralegal Studies program for the education you need to get that important first job. The post Trial Preparation Tips for Paralegals appeared first on MTI College. from MTI College https://mticollege.edu/trial-prep-tips-for-paralegals/ from https://mticolleges.tumblr.com/post/178650106818
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