There are so many careers within the legal framework in this country.  Not everyone wants to or can  be a solicitor or barrister.  An alternative, requiring much less qualification but of course, not offering the solid life time career, is perhaps paralegal.  These are law profesisonals who have a clearly defined supportive role.  They are the folk that do rather a lot of running about and background legal tasks.   Paralegals work in all kinds of legal organisations or departments.  These would include law firms in chambers and private.  They also work alongside professionals in the public sector and for not-for-profit organisations.    This role is important within a legal team with tasks quite often mirroring work of a trainee and sometimes that of a newly qualified solicitor and in fact can sometimes count as preparation towards qualifying as a solicitor.   Job or tole titles often vary – this depends on the legal make up of the department, and could be described as legal executuives, legal assistants, caseworkers and even just legal clerk.