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Meet Your Legal Team: Roles & Responsibilities

Who does what on your case, and who to contact for each kind of question.

At Wanta Thome, a team works on your case, not a single lawyer. That is by design. It means someone is focused on each part of your case, from legal strategy to deadlines to documents, and it keeps your case moving even when your attorney is in court or a deposition (a formal interview where a witness answers questions under oath). This page explains each role, so you always know who is doing what and who to ask.

Your Attorney: strategy lead

Your attorney leads your case and owns the legal strategy. They make the key legal judgment calls, advise you on your options, and represent you in court, at depositions, in mediations, and in settlement negotiations. Every important decision about your case runs through your attorney, and everything the rest of the team does is done at your attorney's direction and under their review.

Your attorney generally does not handle scheduling, routine paperwork, or document logistics. Handing that work to the rest of the team keeps your attorney focused where it counts, on the strategy and advocacy that drive your case.

Your Paralegal: the case builder

Your paralegal works side by side with your attorney to build the case. Paralegals are trained legal professionals who gather and organize facts, build timelines, prepare drafts of legal documents, and manage the details of discovery (the stage where both sides exchange information and documents). Your paralegal will often be the person who reviews facts with you, collects your documents, and helps you get ready for events like your deposition.

One important limit: paralegals cannot give legal advice or make strategic decisions. If your question is "what should I do," your paralegal will bring in your attorney.

Your Case Manager: logistics

Your case manager keeps the machinery of your case running. They manage the case calendar, track court deadlines, file and serve documents, and coordinate scheduling for meetings, depositions, and mediations. Think of them as air traffic control for your case. When you need to find a time, send a document, or update your contact information, your case manager is usually the fastest path.

Why your paralegal is your primary contact

Here is something worth knowing early: much of your day-to-day contact with the firm will be with your paralegal or case manager, not your attorney. Some clients worry this means their case is not a priority. The opposite is true.

Your paralegal usually knows the facts and documents of your case in the most day-to-day detail, so for many questions they are the fastest and best-informed answer you can get. They also work under your attorney's supervision, so nothing important happens without your attorney knowing.

When a paralegal answers you, your question went to the person best positioned to answer it quickly. Your attorney is always looped in on anything that needs their judgment.

Who should I contact?

To get the fastest response from the right person, use this guide:

  • Legal strategy, your options, settlement decisions: Your Attorney
  • The facts of your case, your documents, deposition prep: Your Paralegal
  • Scheduling, deadlines, sending us documents, contact updates: Your Legal Assistant

Not sure who to ask? Do not worry about picking wrong. Send your question through the client portal and we will route it to the right person. See How to Reach Us and What to Expect for channels and response times.

Related pages

Still have questions? Your legal team is happy to help. Message us through the client portal or call the office, and we will point you to the right person.