Paralegals - Exempt or Non-Exempt?

njjel

For those of you who employ paralegals, I'm wondering how you are classifying them - exempt or non-exempt?

Down_the_Middle

My limited experience of employing paralegals some time ago was that they were EXEMPT. Both of them had bach degrees, had completed formal paralegal education and were NFPA members. They clearly satisfied the income requirements for exempt status and had the necessary amount of independent judgment and discretionary thinking to be exempt. Para's do much of what an attorney does in terms of interviewing witnesses, drafting pleadings, memorandums, legal research and preparing for trials. I think a bona-fide paralegal is exempt.