Elizabeth Diefenthaler is a paralegal who is passionate about the legal system and helping those in her area of expertise: family law. Elizabeth Diefenthaler assists lawyers in her office in settling family disputes, like divorce and custody proceedings. Family law also deals with restraining orders when necessary. Elizabeth Diefenthaler enjoys working as a paralegal and cannot imagine ever changing careers.

Elizabeth Diefenthaler grew up without any interest in the legal field. When she was in college she took a few courses in the legal field. These courses sparked her interest in law but she wasn't sure whether to pursue a law degree or not. The current market for lawyers is very weak and Elizabeth Diefenthaler believes that many paralegals in the future may have law degrees instead of the less-demanding requirements that she earned in her studies.

Asked about her decision to become a paralegal soon after college, Elizabeth Diefenthaler stated, "I felt
like becoming a paralegal would be a faster and much cheaper way to get into the professional world. I always knew and I still know, that if I truly want to I can go back to law school to become an attorney. But I do enjoy working as a paralegal a great deal and I don't see myself doing that any time soon."

Paralegals like Elizabeth Diefenthaler provide a great deal of assistance to attorneys around the country with their trials and casework. Without paralegals, attorneys would be unable to complete their work as efficiently or effectively as they do now. Most law offices employ at least one or two paralegals if they are on the smaller end. Larger law firms can have dozens or hundreds of paralegals, depending on the size and scope of the firm and the type of law it practices.

Elizabeth Diefenthaler specializes in assisting lawyers in the area of family law. Family law focuses on filing for divorce or legal separation, and determining child custody and child support. Occasionally, family law will also have to involve restraining orders. Elizabeth Diefenthaler enjoys being able to help people solve their legal problems and move on with their lives. Elizabeth Diefenthaler plans to work in the field of law until her retirement.