What is the difference between a paralegal and a law clerk/legal assistant?
These terms are often used interchangeably, but in Ontario, the terms “law clerk” and “legal assistant” generally refer to an individual qualified through training and experience to work under the supervision of a lawyer, while “paralegal” is usually used to describe an independent paralegal (court and tribunal agent) who is permitted to work in certain areas of the law without supervision, and often is self-employed. However, the word “paralegal” is sometimes used simply to describe any person who works alongside and under the supervision of a lawyer. To complicate matters further, law firms, corporations and government agencies often use their own definitions of these terms when drafting job descriptions and setting compensation levels.
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