Paralegal

A paralegal is an individual, qualified by education, training or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency, or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible. However, this is not the case in Ontario, Canada where paralegals are independent legal practitioners, licensed by the Law Society of Upper Canada to provide legal services within their scope of practice to members of the public. Licensed paralegals in Ontario may manage their own legal firm or be appointed as a justice of the peace and have the opportunity to seek employment as a municipal or provincial prosecutor.