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Paralegal is synonymous with legal assistant, and is defined as a person qualified through education, training, or work experience to perform substantive legal work that requires knowledge of legal concepts and is customarily, but not exclusively, performed by a lawyer. This person may be retained or employed by a lawyer, law office, government agency or other entity or may be authorized by administrative, statutory or court authority to perform this work.
Confidential Information denotes information relating to a client whatever its source, which is not public knowledge nor available to the public. (Non-Confidential Information would generally include the name of the client and the identity of the matter for which the paralegal provided services.)
Disclose denotes communication of information reasonably sufficient to permit identification of the significance of the matter in question.
Canon 1. A paralegal shall achieve and maintain a high level of competence.
Canon 2. A paralegal shall maintain a high level of personal and professional integrity.
Canon 3. A paralegal shall maintain a high standard of professional conduct.
Canon 4. A paralegal shall serve the public interests by contributing to the delivery of quality legal services, and the improvement of the legal system.
Canon 5. A paralegal shall preserve all confidential information provided by the client or acquired from other sources before, during and after the course of the professional relationship.
Canon 6. A paralegal's title shall be fully disclosed.
Canon 7. A paralegal shall not engage in the unauthorized practice of law.
Canon 8. A paralegal shall avoid conflicts of interest and shall disclose any possible conflict to the employer or client, as well as to the prospective employers or clients.
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