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AD SURVEY YIELDS INTERESTING RESULTS

Summer 2003
Jul 1, 2003, 22:03

This spring, the Division ran a survey on Professional Terminology on its web site. The purpose of this survey was to determine whether there was a preference for the term “paralegal” over that of “legal assistant.” As you may know, there appears to be a nationwide trend towards the use of the term “paralegal” and away from the term “legal assistant” and therefore the Division, and the Joint Task Force on Paralegal Regulation/Definition, wanted to know what paralegals here in Texas thought about this trend.

The results of this survey were very interesting. We received the largest number of respondents we have ever had to any survey – thanks to the internet and e-mail, we had a total of 1,023 individuals respond.

The results of the survey are as follows:

1. Total number of respondents: 1,023

2. What is your title?

Paralegal 421 41%
Legal Assistant 447 44%
Other 134 13%
No answer 21 2%
TOTALS 1023 100%

3. What title do you prefer?

Paralegal 642 63%
Legal Assistant 280 27%
Other 72 7%
No answer 29 3%
TOTALS 1023 100%

4. Do you work for a:

Law firm 722 71%
Corporation 174 17%
Gov’t agency 51 5%
Other 56 5%
No answer 18 2%
TOTALS 1021 100%

5. Do you believe that

The terms should be
used synonymously 253 25%

We should use
“paralegal” exclusively 587 58%

We should use “legal ass’t”
exclusively 135 13%

No answer 45 4%

TOTALS 1020 100%

As you can see, the response was overwhelmingly in favor of the use of the term “paralegal,” although the titles currently used by respondents were evenly divided between “legal assistant” and “paralegal.”

The LAD, in conjunction with the State Bar’s Standing Committee on Legal Assistants, will now be considering the use of the term “paralegal” exclusively.

The comments made by respondents were interesting and generally, it appears that the term “legal assistant” seems to be viewed as being more broad and general and that many other office staff members, such as secretaries and administrative assistants, now use it.

Thanks to all of you who made your views known. You can make a difference, because the Division cares about what you think.

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Texas Paralegal Journal © Copyright 2003 by the Legal Assistants Division, State Bar of Texas.