Whether or not she passed as white is precisely my point -- in the eyes of some she was white; in the eyes of others, she wasn't. If you've read about her, you'll know that she didn't self-describe as black when trying for roles. As for being cast as a paralegal, you're suggesting that her race is what had her cast as a paralegal instead of as a lawyer. I would say that the reason is that there were better actors available to cast as the main characters. However, through various means, she was able to get better lines for her role, and her character became a lawyer, if my understanding is correct. I never watched the show myself.