Paralegal vs. Legal Document Assistant

15-Dec-2022

Paralegal vs. Legal Document Assistant

Paralegals and legal document preparers (LDAs) are both professionals who provide legal services to individuals, but there are some key differences between the two.

In order to understand the differences between a paralegal and a Legal Document Preparer, or legal document technician it’s important to understand the roles each plays in the legal system. Paralegals are legal professionals who provide assistance to attorneys. They are typically employed by law firms and are responsible for researching legal issues, preparing legal documents, and providing assistance in legal proceedings.

Paralegals must complete a post–secondary degree program and pass an exam in order to become certified. In contrast, legal document preparers (LDAs) are not required to have any formal legal education. They are non- lawyers, and they cannot provide legal advice. Instead, they are responsible for preparing legal documents, such as court forms, wills, trusts, immigration & bankruptcy forms, and various other legal documents. LDAs also provide guidance on how to complete the documents, but they do not have the authority to provide legal advice. Typically both tend to be commissioned notary publics

One of the biggest differences between a paralegal and an LDA is the level of education and certification required. Paralegals must complete a post–secondary degree program and pass an exam in order to be certified. LDAs, on the other hand, are not required to have any formal legal education however most are certified in some aspect and are usually notaries public. In addition to the level of education and certification required, the services provided by a paralegal and an LDA are also different. Paralegals are responsible for researching legal issues, preparing legal documents, and providing assistance in legal proceedings.

LDAs, on the other hand, are only responsible for preparing legal documents and providing guidance on how to complete the documents. Another difference between a paralegal and an LDA is the level of pay. Paralegals typically earn a higher wage than LDAs, though an independent document preparer can earn 6-figures, as they serve the public with invaluable cost saving services. This is because paralegals are required to have a higher level of education and certification, and they are responsible for more complex tasks than LDAs. Finally, the Legal document assistance may actually be a paralegal though, in most cases outside of the direct supervision of a licensed attorney may not advertise as such. 

Paralegals are in some cases authorized to represent clients in court and can provide legal advice, much like IRS enrolled Agents can represent someone in tax court. LDAs, on the other hand, are not authorized to represent clients in court and cannot provide legal advice. However, many LDAs are also notary publics, and they can provide notary services.

In conclusion, paralegals and legal document assistants (LDAs) are both professionals who provide legal services to individuals, but there are some key differences between the two. Paralegals are required to have a higher level of education and certification and are authorized to represent clients in court. LDAs, on the other hand, are not required to have any formal legal education and cannot provide legal advice. They are only responsible for preparing legal documents and providing guidance on how to complete the documents. They may assist inexecution of those docs by way of notarization and witness as well.