Paralegal

Paralegal ( English Paralegal ) - the name of the profession in English-speaking countries. Paralegals, without having a higher legal education, are legal assistants and carry out part of their functions. At the same time, they cannot perform the functions for which lawyers are entitled by law, that is, to offer legal services on their own behalf, to hold permanent posts in the law enforcement system and courts. Paralegals, on the other hand, do not have codes of conduct that are mandatory for lawyers working in official institutions.

The term has been widely used in English-speaking countries due to the high demand for legal services. There are 2-3-year courses for obtaining a specialty paralegal. In other countries, as a rule, there is no special “paralegal” education; similar functions are performed by persons with incomplete legal education as a practice or by persons with related education.

Since 2008, in the province of Ontario (Canada), paralegals are allowed to conduct their professional activities on a par with lawyers only after obtaining a license. This process is rather difficult both from the financial and the preparatory side. Only those who graduated from college departments with a specialization in paralegal can apply for an exam to obtain a license. Only those who have received paralegal diplomas from colleges whose curriculum is recognized by the Upper Canada Lawyers Association are eligible for this exam.

The licensed exam is held three times a year under the supervision of the Upper Canada Bar Association. Nominees must pay a significant amount to pass the exam. Only those who successfully pass the exam are allowed to the next stage of obtaining permission to conduct private activities or work in any institution. To do this, they must arrange insurance for their activities as a paralegal, become a member of the Upper Canada Lawyers Association and pay a membership fee.

Like lawyers, licensed paralegals who have completed all of the above steps have the right to represent the interests of their clients in the courts of first instance, in criminal courts, when their clients are charged with crimes, if convicted, they face imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to twenty-five thousand dollars, in various tribunals and commissions of the province of Ontario.

In some areas, such as traffic violations courts, the Landlord and Tenant Commission, the population uses exclusively the services of licensed paralegals, as their services are much cheaper than that of lawyers.

The scope of licensed paralegals is limited. For example, they do not have the right to represent clients in family courts in matters related to the sale of real estate.