We sometimes hear that hiring a paralegal is better than hiring a lawyer because the paralegal may be more cost friendly … but cheaper isn’t always better.
A paralegal is NOT a lawyer. Although some paralegals may know what form to use for a particular claim and can provide some help in that way, paralegals or legal assistants cannot give you legal advice. A paralegal can add value to your legal team but is not the same as a lawyer.
A paralegal or legal assistant cannot give you legal advice because they have not been trained in the law. They do not have the knowledge a lawyer would have and cannot act for you in your best interests. Being a lawyer is all about counseling clients concerning legal issues after many years of education and intensive training to acquire the skills necessary to give you legal advice. Good legal advice means that you are then able to make informed decisions about your legal matter. You can be confident that the work will be performed correctly and you will receive correct information about your choices. This is invaluable.