There are many different professionals and support personnel who are all vital in making a legal practice run smoothly. In Denver, good personal injury law firms make use of the talents and expertise of many different individuals in handling cases involving an injury. Attorneys are what first come to mind when naming who works at a law office, but in reality, the actual list of people who are all a part of representing a personal injury client can be quite extensive.
At a typical personal injury law firm in Denver, you may first encounter a receptionist. Making clients feel welcome is only one part of a receptionist’s job, however. Receptionists also field telephone calls, directing them to the proper office personnel, and may also handle some paperwork. They may also be responsible for receiving packages and for scheduling conference rooms. At this point, you might think the only people you will deal with at the firm’s offices are your attorney and the receptionist.
Once beyond the reception area, you will begin to see all of the other parts of the personal injury law firm machinery, including secretaries, file clerks, paralegals, accounting people and office managers. Some larger firms may have even more types of personnel, including investigators, auditors and the like. Secretaries, clerks and paralegals are often referred to as “support staff,” but this should in no way imply that their work is less important. Injury lawyers know how vital a good legal secretary team is to the practice of law. Legal secretaries screen and respond to phone calls, keep track of attorneys’ schedules, create and manage documents, and interface with the rest of the office staff on behalf of an attorney.
While many experienced legal secretaries perform at least some legal research, many firms also employ paralegals. Paralegals are also called legal assistants, and many lawyers delegate a lot of work and responsibility to these professionals. Most earn some type of degree or certificate prior to becoming a paralegal. Paralegals prepare court documents and pleadings and may also assist attorneys in the courtroom. They also manage documents for large cases and handle discovery requests. Clients often speak directly with paralegals regarding their cases.
And, of course, there are the lawyers. An injury lawyer may be a sole practitioner, meaning they are the only attorney in the office. An injury lawyer may be a partner in the law firm, meaning he or she has an ownership interest in the firm. Or, an attorney in a personal injury law firm may be an associate, who works for the firm, typically under the supervision of a partner in the firm. There are other “types” of lawyers at some firms, but the three mentioned above account for the vast majority of counsel at Denver firms. The important thing to remember is that, large or small, in order to effectively handle a case, a good law firm makes good use of all of its human resources.
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