Paralegal or Personal Assistant? The Surprising Truth Behind My Job Title Revealed!

Facing limited legal responsibilities

In our most recent Career Conundrum, a paralegal expresses that her role resembles that of a personal assistant — but with a potential training contract in sight, should she endure?

“Greetings Dynamic Export. I started working at a firm around eight months ago as a conveyancing paralegal with the expectation of a training contract contingent upon my performance. Regrettably, my experience thus far has not been positive, as I feel more like the firm’s PA rather than functioning as a paralegal (no offense intended to PAs, of course; it’s simply not what I anticipated). My opportunities to engage in legal work have been quite limited, with the majority of my time dedicated to answering phone calls, coordinating meetings, fetching coffees, organizing lunch runs, and managing the personal tasks for the partners. I’m concerned that the firm might be misleading me regarding the training contract, and I am uncertain about how to proceed. I would appreciate your guidance!”