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
Investigators found Javier Martinez Calzada, a paralegal, marketed legal help to a man seeking a paternity test for a custody case.
—
Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 22 Sep. 2025
Atkinson said she had been impressed with the caliber of the instructors and quality of education at SAC while in the paralegal certification program.
—Santa Ana College, Oc Register, 12 Sep. 2025
In her fight with Highmark, Sutton-Schulman leaned on her paralegal skills, beginning with reading the company’s coverage booklet from start to finish.
—Duaa Eldeib, ProPublica, 10 Sep. 2025
The next highest earner was a paralegal, Mary Ellen Grey, who charged the prosecution a rate of $50 an hour for legal work and trial prep and took in a total of $67,535 from October 2024 through June 2025.
—Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
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Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 22 Sep. 2025
Atkinson said she had been impressed with the caliber of the instructors and quality of education at SAC while in the paralegal certification program.
—Santa Ana College, Oc Register, 12 Sep. 2025
In her fight with Highmark, Sutton-Schulman leaned on her paralegal skills, beginning with reading the company’s coverage booklet from start to finish.
—Duaa Eldeib, ProPublica, 10 Sep. 2025
The next highest earner was a paralegal, Mary Ellen Grey, who charged the prosecution a rate of $50 an hour for legal work and trial prep and took in a total of $67,535 from October 2024 through June 2025.
—Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 5 Sep. 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 6 Oct. 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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