In a medium to large law firm that handles a large amount of litigation, there are often a number of litigation support positions that are critical to representing clients in a professional and competent manner. Often, there is a litigation support manager who oversees all litigation support positions. Underneath the manager are commonly found paralegals, secretaries, investigators, and information technicians. All members of the litigation team must work together to keep litigation on track and organized.
Lawyers are needed for a wide variety of legal issues, not all of which require, or result in, a lawsuit. Some lawyers and law firms, however, choose to focus on cases that are likely to result in lawsuits, or litigation. Personal injury law firms, for example, are considered litigation firms in most cases. Law firms that specialize in large class action lawsuits are another example of a litigation firm. Due to the complexity of litigation and the voluminous amount of paperwork involved, most litigation law firms employ a fairly substantial litigation support team.
While all litigation support positions are important, the litigation support manager is understandably a crucial member of the team. The support manager makes sure that each member of the team is completing his or her tasks on time as well as makes sure that all the technology used in the firm is running smoothly. The litigation support manager generally reports directly to a partner in the firm.
Investigators are another of the essential litigation support positions. Litigation frequently requires in-depth investigation in an effort to gather evidence for trial. While some law firms use outside investigators, others choose to keep one or more on staff and available at all times. An investigator may be required to investigate a potential witness, search for physical evidence, or research documents.
Paralegals are commonly found among the litigation support positions at most firms. A paralegal typically has at least a technical school degree in paralegal studies, although many have an associate's or bachelor's degree. A paralegal may conduct legal research for an attorney, draft pleadings or memorandums, and may have a substantial amount of direct contact with clients. A secretary will generally be required to type dictation for an attorney, file documents, and answer telephones, among other responsibilities.
Information technicians are becoming more common in-house in many offices, including law firms. A law firm in general, and particularly a litigation firm, depends heavily on technology to be effective. Having an information technician among the litigation support positions can save both time and money.
