Paralegal vs. Lawyer: What Each Can Do and When You Need Which
BestParalegals is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Information here is general and may not apply to your situation or state. For legal advice, consult a licensed attorney.
The short version
A lawyer (attorney) is licensed by a state bar to practice law: give legal advice, represent you in court, and sign legal opinions. A paralegal is a trained legal professional who does substantive legal work, such as research, drafting, organizing files and preparing forms, but in most of the U.S. does that work under the supervision of a lawyer and cannot give legal advice or represent you in court.
Side-by-side comparison
| Lawyer | Paralegal | |
|---|---|---|
| License | Bar admission in the state | Generally no state license required; voluntary certifications exist |
| Legal advice | Yes | No (rules vary by state; a few states license limited practitioners) |
| Court representation | Yes | Generally no |
| Typical work | Strategy, advice, negotiation, litigation | Research, drafting, filing, document management, client intake |
| Who supervises | Self-regulated under bar rules | Usually a supervising attorney |
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When a paralegal alone may be enough
If you already know what you need and only want help completing and filing standard paperwork, some states allow non-lawyer document preparers to help (for example, California registers Legal Document Assistants). They can type and file forms you choose, but they cannot tell you which forms or options are right for you.
When you need a lawyer
- You need advice on what to do or what your rights are.
- You are being sued, charged, or must appear in court.
- The stakes are high, the facts are disputed, or the other side has a lawyer.
Many law firms use paralegals to keep costs down, so hiring a firm that delegates routine work to paralegals can be a middle path.
Some states license limited practitioners
A few states have created licensed non-lawyer roles that may give limited advice in specific areas, such as Arizona's Legal Paraprofessionals and Utah's Licensed Paralegal Practitioners. Check your state's court or bar website for what is allowed where you live.
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