Editor's note (2026): This post originally noted October 23rd as National Paralegal Day. As of 2024, August 6th is the officially recognized date, following its entry into the Congressional Record. We've updated the article accordingly — and October 23rd, the date we'd long observed, remains a traditional observance that many firms and states still celebrate.

National Paralegal Day is a time to recognize the hard work paralegals perform every day — from fielding phone calls from prospective clients to exhaustively organizing everything needed for complicated, multi-day trials. As of 2024, the profession finally has a single, nationally recognized date to celebrate: August 6th. Many firms and state associations still mark the traditional date of October 23rd, so you'll likely see both observed.

Before we go any further, let's get one thing out of the way. Providing free caffeinated beverages will always be appreciated by many paralegals!

What is National Paralegal Day?

National Paralegal Day celebrates the contributions paralegals make to the legal community. Paralegals are the lifeblood of many law firms. They perform a variety of tasks that help keep the wheels of justice spinning and cases smoothly moving through the legal system. The work of many attorneys would be much more difficult without these dedicated legal professionals.

Officially, the day is now observed on August 6th — a date recognized in the Congressional Record in 2024 and adopted by the country's leading national paralegal associations. For decades before that, it was widely celebrated on October 23rd, a date still honored by a number of state paralegal associations. Whichever date your firm marks, we all owe a debt of gratitude to paralegals around the nation. They are the glue behind the scenes of many firms that helps keep things together.

Why August 6th? (And When Did National Paralegal Day Begin?)

August 6th was chosen to commemorate a defining moment for the profession: on August 6, 1968, the American Bar Association created the Special Committee on Lay Assistants for Lawyers — the group that became today's ABA Standing Committee on Paralegals. That committee played a central role in shaping and legitimizing paralegal work in the United States.

For years, the day had no single official date. That changed in 2024, when National Paralegal Day was formally recognized in the Congressional Record, entered by Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, following a joint effort by the nation's leading paralegal organizations — including NALA – The Paralegal Association and the American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE). The first official National Paralegal Day was observed on August 6, 2024.

Keep in mind that recognition in the Congressional Record is a formal commemoration — it does not make the day a statutory federal holiday. But it does give paralegals, for the first time, a unified national date backed by the major professional associations.

Whatever Happened to October 23rd?

October 23rd has a longer, more grassroots history. It was never established at the federal level; instead, individual states adopted it. Texas, for example, recognizes October 23rd as Texas Paralegal Day — a date that marks the 1981 founding of the Paralegal Division of the State Bar of Texas. North Carolina and several other states adopted similar October observances, while some states, such as California, recognize other days of the year entirely.

Because so many paralegals came up marking October 23rd, plenty of firms and associations still celebrate it — often right alongside the official August date. You won't be wrong to acknowledge either one.

What is the History of the Paralegal Profession?

The history of non-attorneys performing tasks at the behest of lawyers goes back a long way. The employer of Bartleby, the Scrivener in Herman Melville's eponymously named short story from the 1850's, was an unnamed lawyer on Wall Street. It goes without saying, but today's legal assistants are generally more willing to support their attorneys than poor Bartleby.

Many early legal assistants went on to become lawyers themselves. Apprenticeship under a lawyer, rather than law school, was how most attorneys entered the profession from the inception of the United States and into the late 19th century. The last Supreme Court Justice to serve an apprenticeship and work as a legal assistant rather than attend law school was James F. Byrnes, appointed in 1941. He got his start as a law clerk in a law firm at the age of fourteen.

The recognition of paralegals as a profession dates to the 1960's. The American Bar Association first endorsed the use of paralegals in 1967 and established its first paralegal committee the following year — the very August 1968 milestone that today's National Paralegal Day commemorates. The National Association of Legal Assistants, one of the oldest paralegal organizations in the United States, was first incorporated in 1975. The paralegal profession has grown exponentially over the past several decades, and it will continue to grow even more in the years ahead.

What Can You Do to Celebrate National Paralegal Day?

There are a number of things you can do to express your gratitude on National Paralegal Day. From cards to coffee and beyond, paralegals are sure to be appreciative!

Cards

Some companies make greeting cards specifically for National Paralegal Day. You can even create personalized messages for that special paralegal in your life.

Caffeine

Who doesn't need a pick-me-up every once in a while? Legal work of all sorts can be challenging, and paralegals often burn the candle at both ends. Coffee or coffee shop gift cards are always appreciated.

Baked Goods

Donuts, Danishes or other sweet treats are an effective way to show appreciation — barring any dietary restrictions, of course.

Training and Development Opportunities

Investing in paralegal training is an excellent way to express your gratitude. Well-trained employees return that gratitude by staying longer. 94% of employees said they would stay at their company longer if they are provided with adequate training.

Consider training your paralegals through The Institute for Paralegal Education. IPE offers paralegal-specific training on a number of different topics and across several formats.

Other Things

Gift cards, meals or other similar things are effective ways to convey your gratitude to paralegals. If you run a firm, bonuses for your paralegals may even be in order, depending on the situation.

Conclusion

Whether you mark the official August 6th date, the traditional October 23rd, or both, their dedication and hard work deserves more than just a single day. Be sure to recognize paralegals' numerous contributions to the legal community for National Paralegal Day.