Paralegals/legal assistants are persons qualified through education, training, or work experience to perform substantive legal work under the supervision of a licensed attorney, must disclose their paralegal/legal assistant status, and are required to uphold the same ethics, standards, and guidelines imposed upon attorneys. Paralegals/legal assistants may be employed by or contract with an attorney, law office, corporation, or governmental agency, or may be authorized by administrative, statutory or court authority to perform substantive legal work.
Paralegals/legal assistants are distinguished from individuals who independently perform scrivener or form work.