The Role of Legal Assistants in the Estate Planning Practice

Abstract

The employment of legal assistants, paralegals, and similar personnel by the legal community has rapidly gained momentum since the 1960s. The explosion of the profession of paralegals is a result of attorneys in general, as well as those who specialize in estate planning, realizing the tremendous cost effectiveness and efficiency that may result from the prudent use of legal assistants. Despite the valuable services which may be rendered by legal assistants, however, attorneys must exercise caution in their employment, supervision, and education.

This article discusses the reasons to use paralegals in an estate planning practice, regulation of the paralegal profession, the benefits and problems with using legal assistants, and concludes with recommendations for the selection, hiring, training, and supervision of paralegals.

Keywords: paralegal, legal assistant, Texas, estate planning, law firm, probate, wills, trusts, estate planning

JEL Classification: K11