Paralegals: what they do, in which areas and how to hire them

The paralegal plays an essential role in supporting various legal, accounting and bureaucratic activities, assisting lawyers, companies and accounting firms in carrying out complex tasks and complying with regulatory requirements.

Whether it's starting a business, tax management, payroll, labor consultancy or ERP implementation, the paralegal is a key player in ensuring compliance and efficiency in administrative and operational processes.

In this article, we'll explain what a paralegal is, what their main responsibilities are, what areas they can work in and how the CLM Controller Accounting can help your company optimize processes through a specialized paralegal.

What is a paralegal and what does it mean?

The term paralegal comes from the English language and means "para-legal"In other words, a professional who provides technical and administrative support for legal and bureaucratic processes, but who does not have the attributions of a lawyer.

Paralegal meaningIn Brazil, this professional is essential for streamlining documentary and regulatory procedures in various areas, including taxation, accounting, business legalization and accounting consultancy and legal.

In this way, law firms, accounting companies and organizations in various segments rely on paralegals to optimize tasks, reduce costs and avoid legal and tax complications.

What does a paralegal do?

The work of a corporate paralegal may vary depending on their area of specialization, but some of their main responsibilities include:

• Company registration and legalizationAssistance in opening, amending and closing CNPJs, including obtaining licenses, permits and municipal and state registrations.
• Fiscal and tax regularization: Works on issuing negative debt certificates, tax installments and tax compliance, ensuring that the company is up to date with its obligations.
• Monitoring administrative processes: Assists with the processing of documents and deadlines at public bodies such as the Internal Revenue Service, the Board of Trade, notaries and town halls.
• Document managementOrganizes contracts, certificates, powers of attorney and other essential documents, ensuring compliance and accessibility for audits and inspections.
• Legal and labor support: Prepares contracts, terms of termination, collective bargaining agreements and employee records to avoid labor risks.

With these functions, the paralegal becomes a strategic partner for accounting firms, lawyers, companies and financial managers, ensuring that processes are conducted swiftly, safely and legally.

In which areas can a paralegal work?

The paralegal's work is not limited to the law. They perform relevant functions in various business and accounting areas. See where this professional can be essential:

1. Accounting and tax paralegal

The fiscal and tax management of a company requires strict compliance with ancillary obligations, issuing documents and monitoring regulatory processes. The paralegal helps with:

• Regularization of CNPJ and State Registration
• Installment payment of tax debts
• Issuing negative certificates
• Monitoring fiscal and tax processes

TipCLM Controller Contabilidade's team can provide a specialized paralegal to ensure that your company reduces tax costs and avoids unnecessary fines.

2. Legal paralegal

In law firms and legal departments, the legal paralegal provides technical and administrative support:

• Search for case law and legislation
• Drawing up documents and contracts
• Monitoring administrative processes
• Organization of evidence and legal files

3. Corporate paralegal

Companies in various industries need to comply with regulations and bureaucracy in order to operate legally. A paralegal can help with

• Setting up and regularizing companies
• Obtaining operating licenses and permits
• Organization of corporate documentation
• ERP implementation support to optimize processes

4. Paralegal in technology and startups

Companies in the technology sector and startups face specific challenges in relation to legalization, intellectual property and tax compliance. A specialized paralegal can help with:

• Registration of trademarks and patents
• Intellectual property contracts and data protection (LGPD)
• Regularization of terms of use and privacy policies
• Advice on opening startups and choosing a tax regime

5. Paralegals and their role in credit recovery

Default is a recurring problem for companies in all sectors, directly affecting the financial health of businesses.

The paralegal can play a key role in credit recovery, assisting companies in the extrajudicial and judicial collection of outstanding amounts. Their main activities in this area include:

• Identifying outstanding debts and sending notices to debtors
• Drawing up agreements to settle the debt amicably
• Assisting with collection procedures, gathering documents and evidence
• Analysis of contracts and guarantees to verify possible clauses favorable to credit recovery
• Intermediation between creditor and debtor, seeking viable solutions for both parties

With a paralegal working on credit recovery, companies reduce financial losses and increase the chances of recovering amounts more quickly and without the need for lengthy legal proceedings.

6. Paralegal in the labor and social security area

Labor and social security legislation is complex and constantly changing. Companies that fail to comply correctly with their obligations can face fines, lawsuits and labor liabilities that jeopardize the operation of the business.

The labor paralegal works in:

• Drawing up employment contracts and amendments in accordance with current legislation
• Monitoring labor lawsuits, helping to organize the company's defense
• Obtaining social security certificates and documents, ensuring the regularity of contributions
• Support in complying with CLT regulations, avoiding notices and labor inspections
• Implementation of good personnel management practices, minimizing legal risks

The work of a labor paralegal is strategic for companies that want to maintain legal certainty in their employment relationships and avoid future complications.

Paralegal in the tax area and tax compliance

In addition to the legal and accounting areas, the paralegal can be a great ally in the tax area, helping companies and professionals to maintain tax compliance and avoid problems with the tax authorities.

Some of the main activities that this professional can carry out include:

• Obtaining negative certificatesThe paralegal can issue and renew negative certificates for municipal, state and federal debts, ensuring that the company is up to date with its tax obligations.
• Company tax regularization: Many companies face difficulties in settling tax issues. The paralegal helps to draw up documents and communicate with tax authorities to resolve these issues.
• Tax planning supportWorking together with an accountant, the paralegal can help analyze documents and identify possible tax benefits to reduce the company's tax burden.
• Monitoring administrative tax proceedingsIf a company needs to contest fines or notices from the Internal Revenue Service, the paralegal can help organize the necessary documents and monitor deadlines.

With this strategic role, the paralegal becomes essential for companies that need to maintain tax compliance and avoid financial losses due to tax problems.

What are the advantages of hiring a paralegal?

Hiring a paralegal through the CLM Controller Accounting can bring several benefits to your company:

• Reducing costsAvoid excessive consultancy costs and rework due to bureaucratic errors.
• Increased productivityIn-house professionals can focus on strategic activities, while the paralegal takes care of the bureaucracy.
• Legal and fiscal securityEnsures that all legal and tax obligations are complied with correctly.
• Greater operational efficiencyAdministrative processes become more agile and organized.

The importance of the paralegal in corporate compliance

Compliance is an essential factor for companies wishing to avoid penalties and maintain regulatory compliance. The paralegal can assist in the implementation of good governance practices, including:

• Monitoring legal and tax obligations
• Adherence to compliance and corporate governance standards
• Drawing up internal policies to prevent labor and tax risks
• Support in internal auditing and review of contracts and procedures

TipCompanies that adopt compliance strategies reduce financial risks and ensure greater credibility in the market.

How to hire a paralegal?

If you need specialized support to regularize your company, organize documents or optimize administrative processes, you can count on CLM Controller Accounting to hire a highly qualified paralegal.

Hiring options:

• Outsourcing: Outsource accounting, tax and administrative management to experienced professionals.
• Expert adviceOur team analyzes your needs and proposes efficient solutions.
• CFO as a ServiceStrategic support for finance, compliance and risk management.

Tip: A CLM Controller Accounting offers a complete paralegal, tax consultancy and financial management service, guaranteeing compliance and efficiency for your business.

Paralegal: a strategic solution for companies that want to grow safely

Whether your company needs tax regularization, company start-up, tax support or ERP implementation, relying on a accounting office can make all the difference.

A CLM Controller Accounting offers a complete outsourcing and consulting service to ensure that your company operates safely, economically and efficiently.

Do you want to reduce costs and eliminate bureaucracy? Contact CLM Controller Contabilidade and find out how we can transform your business management with a specialized paralegal!