How to Be Legal Assistant - Job Description, Skills, and Interview Questions

Feb 16, 2020 / 5 Minutes Read / By Albert

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The increasing demand for legal services has had a major effect on the role of legal assistants. They are now expected to take on more responsibilities than ever before, including providing administrative support, researching legal documents, preparing legal documents, and filing legal documents with the court. In addition, legal assistants are often required to attend court hearings, interviews and meetings. As a result of this increased workload, legal assistants must be highly organized and have excellent communication skills in order to be successful in their role.

Steps How to Become

Obtain a High School Diploma or GED. Most employers require a high school diploma or GED to become a legal assistant.
Earn an Associates Degree. Most employers prefer to hire legal assistants who have completed an associates degree in paralegal studies or a related field.
Pursue Additional Training. Even if you have an associates degree, you may still need to complete additional training depending on the laws of the state in which you plan to work.
Get Certified. Consider getting certified as a paralegal through the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) or other organizations.
Acquire Relevant Experience. Getting relevant experience through an internship or volunteer position can help you stand out when applying for a legal assistant position.
Prepare to Take an Exam. Depending on the state in which you plan to work, you may need to take an exam in order to become certified or licensed as a legal assistant.
Find Employment. Look for job openings as a legal assistant in law firms, government agencies, or other organizations.

Having an efficient legal assistant is essential to the success of any law firm, as they provide an invaluable resource in ensuring that important tasks and processes are completed quickly and accurately. The impact of having such a resource is extensive, from helping attorneys to save time on mundane tasks, to providing expert advice on complex legal matters. In turn, this allows attorneys to focus on more valuable activities such as developing client relationships, strategizing cases, and researching laws.

Furthermore, an efficient legal assistant can also help to improve the overall quality of the firms services, since they are able to ensure that tasks are completed in a timely manner and free the attorneys from distractions. the presence of an efficient legal assistant is a great asset for any law firm looking to remain competitive in their respective field.

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Job Description

Drafting legal documents such as pleadings, motions, briefs, and contracts.
Preparing and filing legal documents in courts, agencies, and other legal forums.
Maintaining and updating legal files and records.
Conducting legal research.
Organizing and scheduling meetings, hearings, and other events.
Assisting attorneys with trial preparation by organizing and summarizing documents, including depositions and other discovery materials.
Communicating with clients, attorneys, court personnel, and other individuals as necessary.
Reviewing and summarizing complex documents for attorneys.
Preparing subpoenas, affidavits, and other legal papers.
Providing administrative support such as answering phones, maintaining calendars, and scheduling appointments.

Skills and Competencies to Have

Knowledge of legal terminology and procedures.
Ability to draft legal documents.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and Outlook.
Excellent organizational and time management skills.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
Ability to multitask and meet deadlines.
Attention to detail and accuracy.
Ability to research laws and regulations.
Familiarity with court reporting systems.
Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.

Having excellent communication skills is the most important skill for a legal assistant to have. Communication is essential in order to effectively relay information between attorneys, clients, and other parties involved in legal matters. Legal assistants must be able to effectively listen, comprehend, and clearly articulate information in order to ensure that the process runs smoothly and correctly.

They must also be able to effectively read, interpret, and analyze legal documents in order to successfully complete tasks. In addition, legal assistants must possess strong critical thinking skills in order to evaluate facts and evidence in order to make sound decisions. Lastly, legal assistants must have the ability to be organized and detail-oriented in order to properly manage their workload.

All of these skills are important in order to ensure that the legal process is successful and that all parties involved are satisfied with the results.

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Frequent Interview Questions

What experience do you have working as a Legal Assistant?
How would you prioritize tasks in a busy legal office?
Describe a situation in which you had to make a difficult legal decision.
How comfortable are you with legal software programs such as LexisNexis and Westlaw?
Are you familiar with court filing procedures and deadlines?
What do you do to stay current on changes to the law?
How have you handled a situation in which you needed to provide legal advice?
What strategies do you use to stay organized in a fast-paced legal setting?
What have been some of your strengths and weaknesses as a Legal Assistant?
Describe a time when you took initiative to complete a project or task.

Common Tools in Industry

Microsoft Office Suite. A suite of products that includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook for creating documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and managing emails. (Eg: Creating a spreadsheet in Excel to keep track of client information).
Adobe Acrobat. A software program for creating, editing, and sharing PDF documents. (Eg: Creating a PDF document of a legal document).
Legal Research Software. Software that helps legal professionals quickly and accurately research legal cases and laws. (Eg: Using LexisNexis or Westlaw to research a case).
Document Management Software. Software that helps to store and organize legal documents. (Eg: Using a document management system such as iManage or NetDocuments to store and organize client documents).
Time Tracking Software. Software that helps legal professionals track their time spent on different tasks. (Eg: Using an online time tracking tool such as Toggl to track time spent on different projects).

Professional Organizations to Know

National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA)
American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE)
American Bar Association (ABA)
National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA)
International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP)
National Notary Association (NNA)
Association of Legal Administrators (ALA)
International Legal Technology Association (ILTA)
National Network of Paralegals (NNP)
American Society of Legal Document Examiners (ASLDE)

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Common Important Terms

Document Review. A document review is an analysis of documents to identify relevant information and assess accuracy, completeness, and reliability.
Discovery. Discovery is the pre-trial process in which parties exchange and obtain relevant information from each other.
Legal Research. The systematic investigation into a legal question or issue in order to ascertain the applicable law.
Court Filings. Documents that are submitted to a court in order to initiate, continue, or conclude a legal action.
Pleadings. Written statements that parties in a lawsuit file with the court.
Motions. Requests made by one party to the court for a ruling or order.
Depositions. Pre-trial questioning of witnesses under oath, conducted outside of the courtroom.
Legal Writing. Writing that is intended to be used in a legal proceeding or to convey legal information.
Contract Drafting. The process of preparing contracts or other legal documents in accordance with applicable law.
Legal Analysis. The process of using facts and legal authority to draw conclusions and make legal arguments.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Legal Assistant?

A Legal Assistant is a professional who provides support to lawyers by performing a variety of administrative, clerical and legal tasks.

What qualifications do Legal Assistants need?

Becoming a Legal Assistant usually requires a Bachelor's degree in paralegal studies or a related field; however, some employers may hire individuals with an Associate's degree or relevant work experience instead.

What kinds of tasks do Legal Assistants perform?

The specific duties of a Legal Assistant can vary depending on the size and structure of the law firm, but they may include conducting legal research, drafting documents, organizing files, preparing reports, assisting clients, and summarizing depositions.

What is the average salary of a Legal Assistant?

The median annual wage for Legal Assistants in the United States was $51,740 in May 2020.

Are there any professional certifications available for Legal Assistants?

Yes, professional certifications are available for Legal Assistants. These certifications are offered by various organizations, such as the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) and the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA). They provide evidence of a Legal Assistants knowledge, skills and abilities.