What is a sole proprietorship? For a paralegal, what are some of the benefits of working for a sole proprietor (a sole practitioner)?

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Answer 1

In a sole proprietorship, one individualâ€"the sole proprietorâ€"owns the business. The sole proprietor is entitled to any profits made by the firm but is also personally liable for all of the firm's debts or obligations. An attorney who practices law as a sole proprietor is often called a sole (solo) practitioner.
Working for a sole practitioner is a good way for a paralegal to learn about law office procedures because the paralegal will typically perform a wide variety of tasks. Many sole practitioners hire one person to act as secretary, paralegal, administrator, and manager. Paralegals holding this kind of position would probably handle many tasks: receiving and date-stamping the mail, organizing and maintaining the filing system, interviewing clients and witnesses, bookkeeping (receiving payments from clients, preparing and sending bills to clients, and the like), conducting investigations and legal research, drafting legal documents, assisting the attorney in trial preparation and perhaps in the courtroom, and other jobs, including office administration. Working for a sole practitioner is a good way to find out which area of law you most enjoy because you will learn about procedures relating to many different areas. Alternatively, if you work for a sole practitioner who specializes in one area of law, you will have an opportunity to develop expertise in that area. In sum, working in a small law firm gives you an overview of law office procedures and legal practice that will help you throughout your career.