paralegal
adjective
para·le·gal
ˌper-ə-ˈlē-gəl 
ˌpa-rə-
: of, relating to, or being a paraprofessional who assists a lawyer
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Much of the work in a law office can be done by paralegal assistants, also called legal aides or simply paralegals, who work alongside licensed lawyers. Often a paralegal is trained in a narrow field and then entrusted with it. In this respect, paralegals are similar to paraprofessionals in other fields, such as engineering. Paraprofessionals used to be trained in the office itself, but today it's common to study for a paraprofessional certificate or degree at a community college or university.
Examples of paralegal in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The school offers both four-year and two-year degrees, including practical associate degrees in business administration and paralegal studies.
—
Fiona Riley, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
The board members collaborated regularly with Jerry Hobbs, a former district employee turned paralegal for the district’s law firm, JW Howard.
—Jay Steiger, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 June 2025
Fierce, magnetic paralegal Rachel Zane was the most difficult role to cast, and ultimately took the longest before a pre-royal Meghan Markle got the job.
—EW.com, 23 June 2025
On May 10, two days after the daycare’s closure, Minton called a staff meeting with her corporate attorney and paralegal.
—Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for paralegal
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Fiona Riley, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
The board members collaborated regularly with Jerry Hobbs, a former district employee turned paralegal for the district’s law firm, JW Howard.
—Jay Steiger, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 June 2025
Fierce, magnetic paralegal Rachel Zane was the most difficult role to cast, and ultimately took the longest before a pre-royal Meghan Markle got the job.
—EW.com, 23 June 2025
On May 10, two days after the daycare’s closure, Minton called a staff meeting with her corporate attorney and paralegal.
—Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for paralegal
Cite this Entry
“Paralegal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paralegal. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
paralegal
adjective
para·le·gal
ˌpar-ə-ˈlē-gəl
: of, relating to, or being a paraprofessional who assists a lawyer compare clerk sense 2b
paralegal
noun
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