Guides
Paralegal vs. Lawyer: What Each Can Do and When You Need Which
How paralegals and lawyers differ in training, licensing, what they are allowed to do, and how to decide which one your situation calls for.
Freelance Paralegals: How to Hire One (for Law Firms and Solo Attorneys)
What freelance or contract paralegals do, how attorneys find and vet them, and how to structure the engagement.
Paralegal Services: What You Can (and Can't) Get Help With
A plain-English guide to paralegal and legal document services for individuals and small businesses, including what's allowed and what to watch out for.
Legal Document Assistants: What They Are and How to Check One
Legal Document Assistants (LDAs) and similar document preparers explained: what they do, where they're regulated, and how to verify one.
Virtual Paralegals: How Remote Paralegal Support Works
How law firms use virtual paralegals, what to check on security and supervision, and how to get started.
Can a Paralegal Give Legal Advice?
Why paralegals generally can't give legal advice, what counts as advice, and the few exceptions where states license limited practitioners.
BestParalegals is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Information here is general and may not apply to your situation or state. For legal advice, consult a licensed attorney.
Dealing with a green card case? GreenCardBlog covers renewals, USCIS fees and I-485 timing.
New guides
- Can You Set Up a Trust Without an Attorney? Steps, Costs and Risks – Yes, you can usually create a revocable living trust without a lawyer. The steps (drafting, signing, funding), DIY vs. document preparer vs. attorney costs, and when you should hire a lawyer.
- How Much Does It Cost to Change Your Last Name? Fees by Step – The real costs of a name change: court petition fees, publication, certified copies, Social Security card (free), driver's license, and passport, for marriage, divorce and court-ordered name changes.
- How to Avoid Probate: 6 Common Ways (and When You Can't) – Common legal tools that pass property outside probate, from beneficiary designations and transfer-on-death registrations to living trusts and small-estate procedures.
- How to Make a Will Without a Lawyer: Steps and Pitfalls – How to make a valid will without a lawyer: what to include, signing and witness rules that vary by state, DIY options, and when to get professional help.
- How to File for Divorce Without a Lawyer: Step-by-Step – How to file for divorce without a lawyer: when DIY works, the usual court steps, forms and fees, and where to get low-cost help with paperwork.
- Estate Planning Checklist: Documents and Information to Gather (Printable) – A printable estate planning checklist: core documents, accounts and beneficiaries, and the information your executor will need.
- Paralegal Fees: How Paralegal and Legal Document Services Charge – How paralegal and legal document preparation services price their work, what affects cost, and what a non-lawyer can and cannot do for you.
- Paralegal Salary: What Paralegals Earn (BLS 2025 Data) – Median paralegal pay from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, pay by industry, the lowest and highest 10%, and what affects how much a paralegal earns.
- How to Become a Paralegal: Education, Certification and First Job – The main paths into paralegal work, from associate's degrees to certificates, the voluntary certifications employers look for, and the skills that get you hired.
- Immigration Paralegals: What They Can (and Can't) Do – What an immigration paralegal does, who is legally allowed to give immigration advice, and how to avoid notario fraud.
- Divorce Paralegals and Document Preparers: Can They Help You Save Money? – What a divorce paralegal or legal document preparer can do in an uncontested divorce, what they can't do, and how state rules differ.
- Estate Planning Paralegals: What They Do for Wills and Trusts – How estate planning paralegals help with wills, trusts and probate under attorney supervision, and what to know before you hire help.