The Independent Paralegal's Handbook: Everything You Need to Run a Business Preparing Legal Paperwork for the Public [Paperback]

Ralph E. Warner (Author), Stephen R. Elias (Author), Catherine Elias Jermany (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0873374975 | ISBN-13: 978-0873374972 | Publication Date: December 1999 | Edition: 5th

Every day more and more people are turning to independent paralegals for help with routine legal paperwork. This long-proven definitive reference provides crucial legal and business advice for all those considering a career in this growing field. Interviews with prominent independent paralegals bring the text to life.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Now in its fifth edition, Ralph Warner's The Independent Paralegal's Handbook is billed as a how-to guide for people who want to take the law into their own hands. This is a good road map for a profession that has grown quickly in recent decades, as motivated consumers seek to avoid intermediaries (lawyers) and handle their own legal matters in areas such as bankruptcy, personal injury settlements, and divorce, all with the help of paralegals. This is not, however, the book to read if you need to learn the ins and outs and daily responsibilities of a paralegal. The book assumes you received training elsewhere--either through schooling or working as a legal secretary--and instead focuses on the challenges, triumphs and pitfalls of starting your own paralegal business. Those pitfalls, the authors point out quickly and frequently, usually involve harassment from bar associations and lawyers who fear that their monopoly over legal information is slipping away. Many pages, in fact, are devoted to reminding paralegals that they cannot give legal advice and that they must constantly remind their "customers" (not clients) that they are not licensed to practice law.

The book covers which types of legal paperwork an independent paralegal can safely and profitably prepare; how to let customers know you are not a lawyer; how to minimize the chance of harassment by the bar; how to get the necessary training to work as an independent paralegal; what to call your business; how to get a business license and buy equipment; and how much to charge for your services. (Paralegals, the authors suggest, can significantly undercut a lawyer's fees--by as much as 70 percent--and still make an "excellent living.") The authors also make a strong argument for the virtues of being a paralegal, noting that there is an underlying goal to empower people. "The prospect of helping people with very little money," explains Jolene Jacobs, one of 12 paralegals interviewed for the book's appendix, "and sometimes without much education, put their own decisions on paper, file their papers at court and represent themselves before a judge was truly exciting." --John Russell --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Law firms have been hiring an increasing number of paralegals in recent years. However, in some parts of the country (notably California), paralegals are going into business for themselves, helping people process the paperwork for routine transactions such as incorporations and uncontested divorces. Warner's practical guide highlights the historical background of self-help law, and then gives a great deal of nuts-and-bolts advice on establishing and maintaining a paralegal office. Warner emphasizes that "organized lawyerdom" will be quick to bring unauthorized-practice-of-law suits, and he suggests many strategies for dealing with this problem. The book closes with interviews of six pioneer independent paralegals. Highly recommended for public libraries. Jack Ray, Loyola/Notre Dame Lib., Baltimore
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Nolo; 5th edition (December 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873374975
• ISBN-13: 978-0873374972
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,137,904 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Independent's Paralegal Handbook..., October 19, 2002

By 

Reggie Dunbar II "Reggie" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Independent Paralegal's Handbook: Everything You Need to Run a Business Preparing Legal Paperwork for the Public (Paperback)

The book gives a great reference for starting an independent paralegal business with examples of what should and should not be done in the business world.
There is much focus on California, but much of the information can be used in other eaaster and mid-western states for setting up a business.
I highly reccomend this book as a guide to help one build a success paralegal business.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical Resource, December 17, 2005

By 

Darkness (SoCal) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Independent Paralegal's Handbook: How to Provide Legal Services Without Becoming a Lawyer (Paperback)

As a [...] consumer, I have yet to buy a book from these publishers that wasn't worth the asking price. These books are that useful! As a practicing paralegal in the Golden State, I consider myself fairly industry savvy but still found information contained within that I didn't find elsewhere. I'm not comfortable with [...] having the monopoly on subjects of this nature because any time there is only 1 provider of any given thing, that provider tends to gouge consumers. That will change as competition develops. In the interrim, however, this book is a good resource. Highly recommended.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent resource!, February 16, 2009

By 

Robin Christian (Oklahoma) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Independent Paralegal's Handbook: Everything You Need to Run a Business Preparing Legal Paperwork for the Public (Paperback)

I read this cover to cover in about a day and a half. It was well worth what I paid for it. It gives practical hints and tips on how to run a successful business as well as stories of paralegals that ventured forth. I highly recommend the book!