What Legal Services Can a Paralegal Do in Texas?

With its bustling cities, robust economy, and industries that span from oil rigs to tech startups, Texas isn’t just large; it’s big on opportunity. For paralegals chasing a career that’s both exciting and rewarding, the Lone Star State is pretty much the place to be.

So, what legal services can a paralegal do in Texas?

The paralegal duties in Texas are pretty much similar to those in other states. They’re like the right hand to attorneys—researching, organizing, drafting, and making sure cases don’t fall apart because someone forgot to file a document on time.

However, there are strict rules about what a paralegal can and can’t do in Texas. The law is crystal clear that you can’t just call yourself a paralegal and start giving out legal advice like candy.

In this article, we will discuss the legal services that paralegals are permitted to perform in Texas. This will explore everything, such as their duties, limitations, and supervision requirements. We will also take a quick look at the career outlook for paralegals in the state.

Related:

Definition of a Paralegal in Texas

Let’s begin answering your question: “What legal services can a paralegal do in Texas?”

The State Bar of Texas paralegal job description is quite simple to understand.

A paralegal is someone with the right education, training, and hands-on experience who works for a lawyer, law firm, company, government office, or similar, and handles important legal tasks that the lawyer assigns and takes responsibility for.

There’s another job that sounds a lot like a paralegal but isn’t quite the same thing—a legal assistant. The two roles overlap in some duties, but they’re not identical.

Here’s the subtle difference between the legal assistant and paralegal scope of practice in Texas:

  • Paralegal usually means you’re doing substantive legal work (like drafting contracts or researching case law).
  • Legal assistants might focus more on administrative work (like scheduling meetings, organizing files, and answering phones).

Many Texas law firms blur the lines, so the actual job description depends on where you work.

But the bottom line is that neither title means you can give legal advice or represent clients on your own.

Authorized Legal Services a Paralegal Can Perform     

The legal tasks a Texas paralegal can perform under an attorney’s supervision are varied and important.

Let’s break down the supervised legal services by paralegals:

Legal Research and Writing

Paralegals must be experts in doing research. You might:

  • Dig through Texas statutes, case law, and regulations
  • Summarize legal precedents for the attorney
  • Draft legal memoranda (aka, professional “here’s what the law says” reports)
  • Research opposing parties or expert witnesses

It’s like investigative journalism, but instead of publishing a story, your work helps an attorney win a case.

Document Preparation and Management

A huge part of a Texas paralegal’s job is preparing and organizing legal documents. Under attorney guidance, you can:

  • Draft pleadings (complaints, answers, motions)
  • Prepare discovery requests (interrogatories, requests for production)
  • Draft contracts, wills, or settlement agreements
  • Manage filing with Texas courts (yes, that includes e-filing)

You’re the person making sure paperwork isn’t just done, but done right. One missing date or wrong format can sink a case. So, detail matters.

Client Communication and Interviews

Paralegals can talk to clients, just not in a way that counts as legal advice. Your role might include:

  • Conducting client intake interviews (gathering basic facts, timelines, and documents)
  • Updating clients on case status (e.g., “Your hearing is set for next Tuesday”)
  • Relaying attorney-approved messages

It’s a mix of customer service and legal detective work.

Case Management and Trial Prep

If a case is heading to trial, the paralegal is often the one keeping all the moving parts together. This can involve:

  • Organizing exhibits and evidence
  • Creating trial notebooks for the attorney
  • Coordinating witnesses
  • Summarizing deposition transcripts

It’s project management at a high-stakes level because one misplaced exhibit could mean losing the case.

Tasks Paralegals Are Prohibited from Doing in Texas   

No matter how experienced you are, you cannot practice law without a license.

These Texas rules for paralegal work mean:

  • No giving legal advice – Even if you know the answer, you can’t tell the client what they “should” do.
  • No representing clients in court – Only licensed attorneys can argue before a judge.
  • No setting fees – You can’t decide how much a client should be charged.
  • No signing pleadings or contracts on behalf of a client – That’s the attorney’s signature, not yours.

This is all part of preventing Unauthorized Practice of Law (UPL). The unauthorized practice of law in Texas can result in fines, legal action, or the loss of your career entirely.

Think of it like being a nurse. You can do a lot to help patients, but you can’t perform surgery without a doctor.       

Supervision Requirements and Ethical Guidelines

Now that you know the supervised legal services by paralegals, let’s delve into the requirements and guidelines.

In Texas, every single task a paralegal does must be under an attorney’s supervision. That doesn’t mean the lawyer has to be breathing down your neck 24/7, but they are ultimately responsible for your work.

The Texas State Bar’s Paralegal Division has a Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility you’ll need to follow, which covers:

  • Confidentiality – What happens in the law office stays in the law office.
  • Competence – Don’t take on work you’re not trained to do.
  • Communication – Always clarify you’re a paralegal, not a lawyer.

Under the Texas paralegal regulations, published by the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, attorneys also must make sure their paralegals don’t cross the line into unauthorized practice.

If a paralegal gives out legal advice, the attorney may face reprimands, suspension, or even disbarment. Worse, clients could sue them for malpractice claims for that unauthorized advice.

Certification, Training, and Credentials in Texas    

In Texas, there’s no set education you have to get to become a paralegal, which means you’ve got plenty of different paths to break into the field. In fact, you don’t necessarily have to be certified to fulfill the  Texas paralegal job description.

However, you need to understand that the competition for vacant roles is intense. If you want to stand out, you need to have the right mix of training and education. Plus, getting certified can open the door to more advanced roles. Certified paralegal duties in Texas often include specialized tasks in areas like family law, real estate, and civil litigation, which are known to pay more than general roles.

Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS)

The TBLS offers advanced certification in areas like:

  • Civil Trial Law
  • Criminal Law
  • Family Law
  • Real Estate Law

It’s not entry-level—it’s for experienced paralegals, but it’s respected statewide.

National Credentials to Consider

  • NALA’s Certified Paralegal (CP) – Widely recognized, boosts credibility.
  • NFPA’s Registered Paralegal (RP) – Another respected credential, especially in corporate and government work.

Education Options

  • ABA-approved paralegal programs (usually 2-year associate degrees or post-baccalaureate certificates)
  • University-based programs in Texas (like UT Austin or Texas State University)
  • Online paralegal programs for flexibility

Pro tip: Many employers in Texas give hiring preference to certified paralegals, especially in competitive cities like Houston, Dallas, and Austin.     

Career Opportunities and Work Settings for Paralegals in Texas     

Texas has one of the largest legal markets in the U.S., so paralegals have plenty of opportunities.

Common Work Environments

  • Law firms – From boutique practices to giant firms
  • Corporate legal departments – Oil & gas, tech, healthcare, finance
  • Government agencies – District attorney’s offices, public defenders, state agencies
  • Nonprofits and legal aid offices – Serving low-income communities

In-Demand Skills

  • Bilingual ability – Spanish-speaking paralegals are in high demand
  • Tech skills – E-discovery, legal databases, case management software
  • Specialized law knowledge – Immigration, family law, personal injury

Growing Practice Areas

Paralegal duties in Texas are also seeing rising demand in:

  • Oil, gas, and mineral
  • Criminal
  • Real estate
  • Family
  • Personal injury trial
  • Civil trial
  • Estate planning and probate
  • Bankruptcy

Pay Range

Texas is the fourth-largest employer of paralegals, with about 24,600 earning a median salary of $63,720, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay varies by experience, firm size, location, and paralegal scope of practice in Texas. However, Dallas and Houston offer some of the highest wages. The state has strong job prospects, with opportunities in top law firms like Haynes Boone, Vinson & Elkins, and Norton Rose Fulbright LLP, as well as Fortune 400 companies such as Exxon Mobil, McKesson, and AT&T.

Conclusion

So, what legal services can a paralegal do in Texas? Well, quite a lot, as long as it’s under an attorney’s supervision. They draft contracts, prepare trial exhibits, research laws, and manage client files. However, they can’t give legal advice or represent clients in court, and violating those rules is taken seriously.

With a strong legal market and opportunities across industries, Texas offers a rewarding career path for skilled and ethical paralegals.