WHAT DOES A LITIGATION PARALEGAL DO?

Published: Feb 25, 2026 - The Litigation Paralegal drafts and responds to written discovery, including Interrogatories, Requests for Production, and Requests for Admissions, as well as prepares discovery motions and good-faith correspondence with opposing counsel. This role prepares non-party subpoenas, organizes and produces responsive documents, drafts Privilege Logs, and ensures compliance with procedural and evidentiary requirements. The paralegal also interviews key witnesses, drafts responses to Civil Remedy Notices of Insurer Violation, and supports attorneys with deposition preparation and overall case management.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Litigation Paralegal

1. Litigation Paralegal Details and Accountabilities

  • Legal Project Support: Provide support for various legal and business projects.
  • Discovery Drafting: Work with Counsel to draft and update discovery responses and pleadings.
  • Procedure Documentation: Work with Counsel to draft and update the Legal Procedures Manual.
  • Subpoena Response: Prepare responses to subpoenas and orders.
  • Deposition Preparation: Prepare deposition notebooks.
  • Legal Research: Research legal issues.
  • Legal Correspondence: Draft, transcribe, and edit correspondence and communications, including letters, memoranda, emails, and reports.
  • Document Preparation: Prepare invoices, reports, memoranda, letters, financial and travel expense statements, and other documents using word processing, web forms, spreadsheets, databases, or presentation software.
  • Schedule Management: Manage and maintain Counsel’s schedule.
  • Travel Coordination: Manage travel arrangements for Counsel.

2. Litigation Paralegal General Responsibilities

  • Records Acquisition: Obtain medical and other investigative records via authorizations and subpoenas.
  • Medical Review: Review medical records and prepare detailed summaries.
  • Deadline Management: Calculate and track deadlines based on rules, judicial preferences, and client guidelines.
  • Trial Preparation: Assist with preparing cases for trial, including preparing witness and exhibit lists.
  • Discovery Drafting: Draft responses to basic discovery, pleadings, and motions.
  • Production Logging: Maintain production logs and clear, concise records of documents produced by all parties.
  • Deposition Coordination: Schedule and coordinate depositions, hearings, inspections, and other case-related conferences.
  • Client Relations: Interact with clients courteously and professionally with an emphasis on good client service.
  • Team Collaboration: Work effectively in a team-oriented environment.

3. Litigation Paralegal Responsibilities and Key Tasks

  • Client Intake: Attend initial meetings with clients.
  • Information Management: Collect and organize information and documentation from clients.
  • Appointment Scheduling: Set up appointments with clients.
  • Client Interviewing: Interview clients and prepare declarations.
  • Case Updates: Provide regular updates to clients with active cases.
  • Quarterly Reporting: Provide quarterly updates to clients with long-term cases.
  • Status Tracking: Track the status of client filings.
  • Motion Drafting: Prepare and compose motions and routine correspondence and act as a liaison to court personnel.
  • Agency Filings: Prepare and draft filings to relevant federal and state agencies.
  • Litigation Support: Complete indexes, pleadings, exhibits, checklists, motions, and legal research for litigation proceedings.
  • Document Analysis: Analyze case documents.
  • Trial Assistance: Assist associates in all aspects of trial preparation.

4. Litigation Paralegal Duties and Roles

  • Banking Documentation: Draft documentation relevant to banking and finance.
  • Specialist Research: Provide specialist research and related advice in banking, finance, and commercial litigation.
  • File Management: Manage litigation files and multiple tasks.
  • Legislative Review: Assist by reviewing updates in legislation and case law.
  • Affidavit Preparation: Prepare affidavits, briefs, and statements of claim.
  • Evidence Coordination: Prepare evidence and liaise with the court and counsel.
  • Client Development: Take the lead in developing and maintaining client relationships in conjunction with Special Counsel.
  • Business Development: Support business development and marketing initiatives.
  • Process Improvement: Collaborate with other staff to identify and implement improvements to operational processes and procedures.

5. Litigation Paralegal Roles and Responsibilities

  • Client Communication: Responsible for client communications and meetings.
  • File Review: Responsible for file review and casework.
  • Medical Review: Responsible for reviewing medical records.
  • Deadline Compliance: Meet all relevant court-appointed deadlines.
  • Lien Tracking: Track and document any subrogation liens.
  • E-Filing Management: Utilize Pro-Docs or other online or in-house resources for document preparation and e-filing.
  • Case Management: Update the client case management file in Needles.
  • Witness Interviews: Conduct witness interviews and case investigations through telephone, written, and in-person communication.
  • Legal Research: Conduct factual and legal research using LEXIS and other online facilities.
  • Administrative Support: Perform general and administrative paralegal duties, including maintaining files, writing memos, and corresponding with clients and opposing counsel.
  • Team Collaboration: Work with attorneys and other staff in the firm on various assignments and topics.

6. Litigation Paralegal Responsibilities

  • Stakeholder Coordination: Coordinate with data custodians, members of the IT Department, and in-house and outside counsel.
  • ESI Analysis: Analyze electronically-stored information using computer-assisted review technologies.
  • Litigation Hold Management: Work with in-house and outside counsel to draft, issue, and track litigation holds.
  • Matter Tracking: Create, manage, and track litigation matters in the matter management database.
  • Schedule Management: Manage scheduling and calendars.
  • Witness Preparation: Assist in-house and outside counsel in preparing company witnesses for depositions and court appearances.
  • Transcript Summary: Review and summarize deposition and trial transcripts and exhibits.
  • Affidavit Review: Review and revise affidavits and responses to written discovery requests.
  • Legal Research: Responsible for performing legal research.

7. Litigation Paralegal Accountabilities

  • File Organization: Organize and index case files and documents produced.
  • Deadline Calculation: Determine pre-trial and trial calendar deadlines.
  • Legal Research: Perform a wide variety of legal research and data compilation with little or no supervision.
  • Pleading Preparation: Assist with the preparation of pleadings to be filed with courts and administrative agencies.
  • Motion Support: Prepare correspondence, declarations, and a compendium of evidence in support of dispositive motions.
  • Discovery Drafting: Draft a wide variety of legal documents in discovery, including third-party subpoenas, with the calculation of deadlines.
  • Document Review: Review documents in the document database and prepare them for production, along with a privilege log.
  • Trial Preparation: Prepare for mediations, arbitrations, and trials.
  • Trial Assistance: Assist the attorney at trial.
  • Deposition Preparation: Assist the attorney in preparation for depositions.
  • Witness Coordination: Communicate with witnesses and experts and assist with the preparation of anticipated testimony.
  • Schedule Support: Assist with scheduling.
  • Billing Entry: Enter billing and expense data into the firm's system promptly.

8. Litigation Paralegal Duties

  • Internal Investigations: Undertake investigations into the work of the Legal Services Department.
  • Report Analysis: Consider and analyze material generated by investigations and provide written and oral reports to facilitate informed decision-making by line managers.
  • Witness Interviews: Interview witnesses, prepare witness statements, and collate all documentary evidence and reports to permit informed decision-making by the company.
  • Disclosure Support: Assist in the disclosure of documentation to individuals and organizations, including preparing disclosure schedules and correspondence.
  • Counsel Coordination: Assist and work closely with solicitors and counsel, including attendance at court, tribunals, inquests, meetings, and case conferences.
  • Order Service: Undertake the service of court orders and prepare relevant documentation.
  • Affidavit Support: Support the service of court orders and the swearing of affidavits.
  • Loss Mitigation: Assist the organization in mitigating losses by identifying and implementing service improvement issues arising from investigations.

9. Litigation Paralegal Overview

  • Case Management: Responsible for case management involving maintaining databases, document control, calendaring docket deadlines, and coordination and monitoring of local counsel.
  • Document Preparation: Prepare and organize a variety of documents, forms, charts, letters, presentations, and reports.
  • Deposition Review: Responsible for deposition, record review, and summaries.
  • Expert Coordination: Facilitate expert retention, provide materials to experts, and coordinate deadlines for expert reports and depositions.
  • Trial Assistance: Provide trial assistance, including organizing trial documents and exhibits.
  • Deposition Preparation: Responsible for preparation for depositions.
  • Hearing Preparation: Responsible for preparation for hearings.
  • Document Production: Conduct document review and production.
  • Discovery Drafting: Draft discovery documents and form pleadings and motions.
  • Records Management: Request and organize records.
  • Client Records: Accountable for maintaining client records.
  • Trend Analysis: Accountable for assisting with the analysis of trends.
  • E-Filing Support: Be in charge of assisting with e-filing.

10. Litigation Paralegal Roles and Details

  • Legal Correspondence: Prepare legal correspondence, pleadings, and discovery responses.
  • File Management: Manage files and documents.
  • Motion Support: Assist with preparing motions and exhibits.
  • Document Management: Document production and management.
  • Trial Preparation: Responsible for trial preparation, including drafting and managing trial documents and exhibits.
  • Case Processing: Receive and process documents and enter information into the Case Management System.
  • Medical Analysis: Obtain, summarize, and analyze medical records.
  • Witness Coordination: Coordinate expert and lay witnesses.

11. Litigation Paralegal Essential Functions

  • Case Knowledge: Engage in the work of attorneys by demonstrating knowledge and status of current cases and projects, utilizing available resources.
  • E-Filing: Perform e-filing for Federal, State, and Bankruptcy Courts.
  • Agency Liaison: Act as liaison between internal departments and outside agencies.
  • Document Drafting: Proofread, draft, and finalize correspondence, pleadings, legal documents, and other assignments.
  • Confidential Handling: Handle a wide variety of complex and confidential time-sensitive material.
  • Docket Management: Maintain docketing for bankruptcy and litigation attorneys.
  • Dictation Transcription: Transcribe electronic dictation and schedule depositions.
  • Case Tracking: Organize and track the status of cases and assist in the management of attorney court appearances.
  • Evidence Preparation: Prepare and organize evidence and discovery.

12. Litigation Paralegal Responsibilities and Key Tasks

  • Litigation Support: Assist attorneys in all stages of the litigation process from onset through trial and closing of the file.
  • Trial Preparation: Assist with trial preparation, including creating trial notebooks, locating and organizing exhibits, coordinating witness schedules, and maintaining the firm's trial calendars and deadlines.
  • Document Oversight: Oversee organization, maintenance, and appropriate utilization of documents and other case materials.
  • File Maintenance: Maintain the firm's paper and electronic files in coordination with the office manager.
  • E-Filing Coordination: Responsible for the coordination of e-filing and serving documents.
  • Deposition Preparation: Assist with preparation for depositions.
  • Discovery Support: Assist with drafting and responding to written discovery, including discovery related to experts.
  • Analytical Review: Perform analytical tasks, including preparing witness interview memoranda, and reviewing and summarizing documents and deposition transcripts.
  • Motion Practice: Assist with motion practice, including assembling motion papers and exhibits, and electronic filing of pleadings and memoranda.
  • Service Compliance: Ensure proper service of pleadings on all parties.

13. Litigation Paralegal Responsibilities

  • Court Filings: Perform court filings (both CM/ECF and state) and document retrievals.
  • Docket Management: Monitor and maintain case management, docket, and diary tracking.
  • Calendar Coordination: Handle receipt, docketing, and calendaring of outgoing and incoming court papers.
  • Legal Research: Conduct research through the court system and online services and resources available to the firm.
  • File Management: Manage large case files, including discovery documents, pleadings, and correspondence files.
  • Brief Support: Assist with brief preparation, including cite-checking, bluebooking, and exhibit identification and organization.
  • Deposition Preparation: Prepare case-specific workbooks, witness files, and binders for depositions and trial preparation.
  • Exhibit Management: Create and manage exhibit lists for trial.
  • Trial Assistance: Assist in trial preparation and attendance at trial and hearings.
  • Information Coordination: Coordinate the flow of information between Dechert lawyers, co-counsel, and clients.
  • Records Retrieval: Obtain client documents, public records, and other factual information via the Internet, PACER, and various government agencies.
  • Teamwork Promotion: Practice and foster an atmosphere of teamwork and cooperation.

14. Litigation Paralegal Accountabilities

  • Discovery Drafting: Draft case-specific written discovery requests, specifically Interrogatories, Requests for Production, and Requests for Admissions to be propounded upon the Plaintiff.
  • Discovery Responses: Draft legal objections and factual answers to written discovery served upon the company, specifically responses to Interrogatories, Requests for Production, and Requests for Admissions.
  • Good-Faith Letters: Draft good-faith letters to opposing counsel regarding outstanding discovery requests.
  • Discovery Motions: Responsible for drafting discovery motions.
  • Subpoena Preparation: Prepare non-party subpoenas for documents and records responsive to subpoenas served upon the company.
  • Document Production: Prepare documents to be produced in response to Requests for Production and subpoenas.
  • CRN Responses: Draft responses to Civil Remedy Notices of Insurer Violation.
  • Privilege Logs: Draft privilege logs and determine applicable privileges over specific documents.
  • Witness Interviews: Interview key witnesses, including field adjusters, engineers, contractors, and insureds.
  • Deposition Support: Assist the handling attorney with preparation for depositions.