What is a Paralegal?

A paralegal is someone who works in a legal support role but is not generally formally qualified (although Legal Executives are sometimes called paralegals).  They work for firms of solicitors or in-house to company or local authority legal departments.  Often paralegals have some sort of qualification any may be someone who is intending to be a lawyer and getting some work experience or being tried out before a training contract is offered.  There is a National Paralegals Association (http://www.nationalparalegals.com/index.htm).