TECHNOLOGY HAS NOT REPLACED THE NEED FOR PARALEGALS

During 2013, there were certain reports stating that a high number of lawyers were using computer software and technology to do the work paralegals used to do. This report was an unexpected punch for the paralegal industry. The Bureau of Labor Statistics adjusted their prediction to 15 percent growth from 2016 to 2026 in paralegal jobs—a decrease of 3 percentage points from its original projection.

There are a lot of solo and small law firms that have turned to technology, but they haven’t stopped hiring paralegals completely.

There are lawyers who worked for big firms who used to hire paralegals to issue subpoenas for documents, to organize them, and file them electronically. However, a lot of solo practitioners started doing everything on their own, including document searches. They use computer software because, in this way, they can save a lot of money. Depending on the case, they can save from $50,000 to $100,000.

Other attorneys hire paralegals occasionally, on a per-need basis. The work, facilitated by technology that a lawyer or a paralegal might do includes scheduling, creating tables of contents and documents, and preparing client intake forms and files. However, technology can’t provide a human touch and their advice. {Read More}