You may already have some of these skills. For example, you could be an excellent writer. If so, it will only help you pursue a career as a legal assistant. It takes between two and five years to become a legal assistant. During these two to five years, you will need to earn an associate`s degree, certifications, and work experience. Since many paralegals focus on one area of expertise, law firms may find a paralegal with experience working with lawyers in their specific area of law. For example, the poorest 10% of wage earners in this region earn a median annual salary of just under $33,000. The top 10% earn more than $85,000 a year. This large gap is due to differences in educational attainment, many years of experience and place of work, to name a few factors.
Yes, being a legal assistant is a good job. If you are looking for a stable job, being a legal assistant is a great choice. If you decide to become a legal assistant, enroll in a career in a rapidly evolving field where your talents and ethics of values could be the key factor in your success. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for paralegals was $52,920 in 2020. However, the salary scale for this job is quite wide. There are also a variety of soft skills that will benefit you in your job as a legal assistant. This includes, among other things: gaining experience. Apply for an internship at a law firm, government agency, corporate legal department, public defender office, or other legal framework. This will help you gain the experience you need to qualify for a job as a legal assistant.
It could even lead directly to a job offer from that company. Some certification programs require prospective paralegals to complete an internship or similar training before they can be certified. As you can see, the courses to become a legal assistant or paralegal are very diverse. This is because paralegals need to know all kinds of laws in order to be able to provide support services to lawyers working in various fields. Because paralegals take on more legal work on behalf of lawyers, they often gain more formal training or certification. However, many states do not require formal paralegal education or training. The ABA outlines training opportunities and certifications for paralegals. With that in mind, if you`re a lawyer who often wastes time due to tedious administrative work, working with a legal assistant can relieve you of essential, but not billable, tasks. You can rest assured by the fact that most students come to law school with little to no real legal experience. That`s perfectly fine – but it doesn`t mean your CV has to be a blank page.
The „Skills“ section of your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate representation of what you can do. Luckily, we`ve found all the skills you need, so even if you don`t already have those skills, you know what you need to work on. Of all the resumes we reviewed, 23.0% of legal assistants have legal documents on their resumes, but soft skills such as communication and computer skills are also important. But if you lack some of these technical skills, you have plenty of opportunities to develop them while pursuing your paralegal studies degree or certificate program. Legal assistants assist lawyers by organizing legal documents, gathering information about cases, and assisting them with trials and hearings. Their research and organizing facts and paperwork in cases helps lawyers prepare for trial. Legal assistants can work in a variety of areas, including corporate law, litigation, criminal law, immigration, and more. While their duties vary depending on the size and type of law firm, the responsibilities of legal assistants may include: Legal assistants often have the same customer service, IT and organizational skills as administrative or executive assistants. However, these skills will be specific to the legal field. Examples of legal assistant skills include: You need to have a solid understanding of basic computer programs, administrative procedures, and legal terminology, so getting a degree in the field is a smart decision. Most paralegals have at least a two-year associate degree, preferably in paralegal studies. However, many employers are looking for candidates with a Bachelor of Laws or Paralegal Studies.
These programs give candidates in-depth training in areas such as legal writing and different types of law. If your institution doesn`t offer law degrees, a degree in almost any subject can still give you valuable skills and education. As the name suggests, a legal assistant works within a legal framework, usually under the direction of one or more lawyers or paralegals. Legal assistants, who are widely regarded as administrative professionals in a law firm or the legal department of a company, ensure that office operations remain fluid, efficient and organized. Because some of the functions of paralegals and paralegals overlap, their titles were mistakenly reversed. However, there is still a clear distinction between the two professions. While paralegals certainly have a lot to offer law firms, they fulfill a different role in a law firm. Paralegals focus on substantive legal work on behalf of supervising lawyers.
Conversely, although legal assistants also work on behalf of lawyers, they focus more on administrative support tasks. This distinction is more important than it seems at first glance. Law firms that don`t recognize the unique roles of paralegals may miss out on the value paralegals can bring to a law firm. If you`ve ever wondered, „What is a legal assistant?“ you`re not alone. Although the term may seem explicit, paralegals are not the same as paralegals. Learning how to become a legal assistant also involves improving your resume by earning a voluntary professional certification from the National Association for Legal Professionals (NALS). But, as mentioned earlier, to increase your chances of getting a job as a legal assistant, it`s important to get the right education. Once you`ve got your foot in the door, keep learning, get a certificate (or two!) and get a graduate degree. This way, you`ll have the best chance of staying employed in the future and finding more lucrative jobs.
Now that you understand „what a legal assistant is,“ you may decide to hire a legal assistant. When hiring a legal assistant for your law firm, there are several factors to consider to ensure you make the best business decision for your firm. Start the process by asking yourself questions like: Where lawyers typically spend three years of full-time study at law school (after completing a four-year bachelor`s degree), a legal assistant may only need a partner`s degree. Learn more about gaining hands-on experience at law school. The PLS exam consists of four parts: 1) written communication, 2) office procedures and technology, 3) ethics and judgment, and 4) legal knowledge and skills. You must pass all sections of the exam to receive the designation. Some states require paralegals to pass additional tests before they can work in the legal field. After certification, you may need to reapply for certification every two to three years. Paralegal careers are not regulated in the United States, so specific educational requirements are not required to enter or advance in the field. However, most lawyers are looking for paralegals who have completed a paralegal program approved by the American Bar Association (ABA), which is usually a program leading to an associate`s degree.
Post-graduation certificate programs are also widely available for associate and bachelor`s degree graduates. Find an ABA-approved paralegal program near you. Simply put, a legal assistant is a legal professional who performs work on behalf of a lawyer, usually an administrative one. Hiring a paralegal can be an effective solution for law firms that need help with substantive legal work. A paralegal also costs less than another lawyer. If your firm is struggling with lawyers who are overburdened with essential legal tasks, few billable hours, or dissatisfied clients and customer service complaints, you may benefit from working with a paralegal.