Paralegals work at the cusp of the legal world, working closely with lawyers to serve clients, performing research, and drafting legal documents. To be successful in the legal field, one must have certain qualities that help them work at their best. A great paralegal should have:

• 1. A Profound Interest in the Law: A great paralegal is very interested in the law, legal issues, and with helping others through legal proceedings.
• 2. Analytical Skills: A great paralegal is very analytical and can infer meaning from written and oral material. They can easily reach conclusions based on information presented.
• 3. Attention to Detail: A great paralegal is very detail-oriented and ensures that all matters are attended to in every aspect of their work.
• 4. Excellent Communication Skills: A great paralegal has excellent communication skills and can effectively communicate with different groups of people via writing and speaking.
• 5. Good Computer Skills: A great paralegal has good computer skills and can easily operate word processing and other programs used on a daily basis.
• 6. Great Writing Skills: A great paralegal has great writing skills and can draft legal documents with minimal errors.
• 7. Interpersonal Skills: A great paralegal should have top-notch interpersonal skills to be able to work with a variety of people, including lawyers, fellow paralegals, and clients from diverse backgrounds.
• 8. Solid Research Skills: A great paralegal has excellent research skills and can look up news, precedents, and other legal information relevant to cases.
• 9. Sound Ethics: A great paralegal has strong ethics and adheres to confidentiality requirements in addition to other ethical standards established by various paralegal organizations.
• 10. Strong Organizational Skills: A great paralegal is very organized. As a lawyer's “right hand,” a paralegal should be able to quickly locate items and information others may need.