Pronouns help writers shorten their sentences and vary their word choices so writing doesn’t seem repetitive. A pronoun is a short, generic word that replaces a noun. It can have one of three jobs:

What difference can three or four letters make? When they form pronouns, these short words can have a big impact. Pronouns are words used in place of other nouns. They reduce repetition, which improves the clarity, pace, and flow of a sentence or paragraph. Without pronouns, sentences would be longer and messier and communication would become more difficult. In a world without pronouns, reading and speaking would be painfully boring. To see the difference pronouns can make, consider these two sentences.

If you confuse the words affect and effect, you’re not alone. These two words are some of the most commonly confused words in the English language! Because they sound alike, it can be even harder to keep them straight.

What happens before a brief gets filed or a case gets argued? The visible, exciting, and sometimes glamorous parts of legal practice are built on the hard work of a behind-the-scenes team. In this interview, veteran paralegal Shawn D. Andrews explains how litigation paralegals keep the judicial process moving forward and provides tips for how you can be a high-value member of the legal team.

The legal world is vast and there are many ways to contribute to it aside from being a lawyer. The narrow view of who may contribute to law seems even smaller when it comes to contracts (as compared to litigation), but that’s about to change. In this interview, Richard Lackey explains his new role in legal technology as a contract review specialist at LegalSifter and shares what he’s learned from his multi-dimensional experience as a legal translator and paralegal.

Paralegals bring with them diverse skillsets, perspectives, and experiences that can elevate a law practice. One often-overlooked path is that of a lawyer educated outside of the United States who chooses to use their skills in a paralegal role. In this moving interview with lawyer-turned-paralegal Renee Tiun, she discusses her path to becoming a paralegal and how her unique experience gives her an advantage when serving international tax clients.

The most efficient legal service team combines the complementary strengths of its members. While lawyers may understand the “why” of the work, paralegals understand the “how.” And, together, they meet client needs.

It’s time to re-imagine law firms and legal work. Consider a world where paralegals can hold ownership interests in firms, represent clients, and do substantive legal work. Though regulators in the United States are just now exploring these options, it’s a reality in Ontario, Canada. Recently, paralegal Melanie Henriques became a partner in her firm. In this interview, Melanie discusses her path to partnership and how paralegals can help law firms provide cost-effective legal services to clients who would otherwise go unrepresented.

Though paralegals often help with document-creation tasks, they are not merely typists. Paralegals have a deep understanding of a firm’s workflows and, if given the opportunity and respect, can modernize and maintain the firm’s knowledge base. In this insightful interview with paralegal-turned-lawyer-and-legal-technologist Ryan Groff, he explains how paralegals can help firms reach new heights of productivity and efficiency through technology.

Contrary to what many lawyers believe, paralegal work is not synonymous with clerical work. A well-trained paralegal can draft documents, investigate claims, engage with clients, and more. Each of these skills is high value for any law firm, and these are the types of skills Keith Shannon teaches in the Paralegal Technology Department at Central Piedmont Community College. In this interview, Keith explains how he moved from practicing law to teaching paralegals and the types of challenges he trains the paralegals in his program to meet.