Legal Research Functions of Paralegals in the Public and Private Sectors: Basis for Proposing a Professionalization Framework in the Philippines

This study examined the legal research functions of Paralegals in the philippine public and private sectors as the basis for proposing a Professionalization Framework. Anchored in Wilensky’s (2021) Professionalization Theory, and supported by Lau’s (2024) Seven Core Paralegal Duties and Masiko’s (2025) Paralegal Qualities Model, the research explored how performance, competence, and stakeholder perception align to support the Professionalization of Paralegals. A quantitative descriptive-correlational research design was employed using stratified purposive sampling. A total of 272 respondents participated in the study, including practicing lawyers, paralegal employees, clients, professors, law students, and law graduates. The study assessed the observed performance of Paralegals in seven (7) core duties, such as legal research, document drafting, managing projects, dealing with clients, filing documents, attending court, and case management, and examined the contribution of four (4) essential qualities: attention to detail, organizational skills, research skills, and critical thinking. It also measured perceptions of the professionalization indicators, including the establishment of training institutions, occupational associations, legal recognition, and a code of ethics. Findings revealed that while Paralegals contribute significantly to legal research and service delivery, their roles remain inconsistently defined and undervalued due to the lack of regulatory frameworks and formal recognition. A statistically significant correlation (r = .673, p < .001) was found between paralegal performance and the perceived need for Professionalization, indicating that as performance improves, so does the urgency for structural reforms.