A law firm recently reached out to me with a straightforward request: “We need a paralegal.” No job description, no scope, just a mandate. As I probed further to understand the role, I uncovered a troubling, but not uncommon, scenario.

The firm’s expectation was that the paralegal would “seek work” from younger associates. In other words, their role would be to float through the office and ask junior lawyers if they had any tasks to delegate.

There are multiple issues with this structure. At its core, it’s a governance problem, one that sets both the paralegal and the associates up for failure.

Billable Hours vs. Delegation: A Built-In Conflict

Law firm associates are typically under pressure to meet high annual billable hour targets. For many, every piece of work they perform contributes to those targets, impacts performance reviews, and influences their path to partnership. So, why would an associate willingly delegate a task, no matter how administrative, to a paralegal if it means giving away billable hours, credit, and visibility?

In this context, expecting a paralegal to ask for work from junior associates creates a dead-end position. The logic is flawed, the incentive is broken, and the result is predictable: the paralegal ends up underutilized and demoralized, and the firm concludes (incorrectly) that the role is unnecessary.

The Root Problem: No Strategic Allocation of Legal Support

Legal support staff, including paralegals, add real value when their role is structured, intentional, and integrated into the firm’s operations. Floating paralegals with no file ownership, no direction, and no formal delegation structure often become “ghost roles”, present in theory, but invisible in practice.

The issue isn’t with the paralegal’s skills or dedication. It’s with the firm’s failure to create a framework where support professionals are seen as contributors to the overall legal product, rather than optional helpers.

What Firms Must Do to Make Paralegal Roles Work

• Define the Scope.

Before hiring, clearly articulate the workstreams the paralegal will own. Will they handle specific practice areas (e.g., real estate closings, litigation support, corporate records)? Will they report to a partner or work directly on certain files? The more defined the scope, the higher the chances of integration and utilization.

• Tie the Role to Client Value, Not Just Internal Convenience.

Paralegals reduce cost for clients, speed up workflows, and allow lawyers to focus on strategic legal tasks. Build that narrative into your firm’s culture and client delivery model.

• Create Governance Around Work Allocation.

Work should not trickle in by chance. Firms should have a work coordination system (centralized or within practice groups) that assigns certain categories of work to paralegals by default. It’s not about associates choosing to delegate, it’s about structuring work so that delegation is embedded in process.

• Reassess Billable Hour Models.

Consider decoupling paralegal work from associate targets in certain areas. For example, if preparing a compendium or drafting standard documents can be efficiently handled by a paralegal, reward the associate for managing that workflow, not just doing it solo. Create hybrid metrics that recognize delegation and leadership.

• Give the Paralegal a Real Place in the Team.

Invite them to team meetings, include them in file updates, and assign them ownership over recurring tasks. A paralegal is not an on-call junior, when positioned properly, they’re a workflow expert who can help drive efficiencies and improve file profitability.

In Conclusion: Structure or Stagnation

A paralegal should never have to chase work. When they do, it’s a clear sign that a firm’s support model is reactive, not strategic. Legal support roles succeed when law firms define their purpose, embed them in the client service delivery model, and align incentives across the team.

Until firms fix the structural gaps in governance and delegation, they will continue to create roles that look good on paper, but are destined to fail in practice.