A legal assistant plays a critical role in law offices and other legal departments by performing clerical services and other essential legal work. Most lawyers cannot smoothly handle their workload without the help of a legal assistant.
While some people think a legal assistant and a paralegal are the same, there is a difference. Legal assistants typically handle more administrative work, and paralegals get more involved in legal matters. Both legal assistants and paralegals work under the supervision of an attorney.
In this article, we’ll go over what a legal assistant is and all the position entails.
Legal assistants support attorneys with various tasks such as client support, drafting documents, conducting research, organizing files, scheduling appointments and meetings, answering phones, and sending and responding to emails.
The best legal assistants are extremely organized with excellent communication skills and strong attention to detail.
The responsibilities and duties of a legal assistant vary depending on the office they work in and the attorney they work under. Legal assistants work in law firms, government offices, large insurance agencies, and other legal departments.
Here’s a list of everyday tasks performed by a legal assistant:
Document management – Many documents with several pages need to stay organized to reach case completion in the legal industry. A legal assistant is responsible for managing documents to ensure case files stay up to date and in order.
Client support – Legal assistants are typically the ones who communicate the most with clients. They provide support when clients contact the firm for updates or other case-related matters. If an attorney needs data from a client, the legal assistant contacts the client to obtain the information needed for the case.
Managing calendars – A legal assistant generally manages the practicing attorneys’ calendar, including scheduling appointments, court hearings, and client meetings. They ensure the attorney receives client updates and due dates for filings.
Conduct research – Legal assistants conduct time-consuming research on behalf of the attorney. They will collect case evidence and research laws pertaining to specific cases.
Administrative tasks – Legal assistants act as administrative assistants for attorney’s completing clerical duties such as answering phones, handling emails, filing documents with the courts, or even picking up coffee or lunch for a busy lawyer.
Client billing – A legal assistant sends client invoices, collects payment for services, and works with clients to resolve billing issues.
The one completely off-limits for a legal assistant is giving any legal advice. While a legal assistant might know the law, it is against the law for them to provide legal advice to clients or practice law at all. Legal assistants always work under the supervision of an attorney, and that practicing lawyer is the one who must provide legal advice.
A legal assistant supports the supervising attorney with time-consuming clerical tasks that help them maximize productivity and efficiency. Without legal assistants, lawyers would get bogged down with tedious tasks that take them away from crucial case-related matters.
When a lawyer has a legal assistant helping them with their workload, they can take on more clients simultaneously and increase revenue. The attorney focuses on legal matters related to cases and provides legal advice to clients while the legal assistants handle the administrative and time-consuming tasks.
Another benefit of hiring a legal assistant is they handle file management to ensure essential documents stay organized so lawyers. Some cases have hundreds or even thousands of pages of documents that support the case. A legal assistant makes sure every important document is in the file so the attorneys are fully prepared for meetings and court hearings.
A legal assistant handling time-consuming administrative tasks allows a lawyer additional focus time to manage cases effectively to have more successful outcomes. Top attorneys have multiple legal assistants in the office helping them with the essential day-to-day tasks.
The terms paralegal and legal assistant are commonly used interchangeably, but there is a difference. Yes, both support lawyers with administrative and clerical duties. However, the primary difference between the two is that paralegals have become certified by passing the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) exam.
Professionals that have not passed the NALA exam may only refer to themselves as legal assistants. Many times paralegals get into more legal work than legal assistants. Legal assistants mostly complete administrative tasks, while paralegals are more involved with legal cases.
A legal assistant must have a high school diploma, but many also have an associate’s degree or higher. A legal assistant can further their education to receive certifications such as:
Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam and Credentialing (PACE) from the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA)
Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) or Certified Paralegal (CP) through the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA)
Accredited Legal Professional (ALP), Certified Legal Professional (CLP), or Professional Paralegal (PP) from the National Association for Legal Support Professionals (NALS)
The more certifications and training a legal assistant has, the more valuable they are to attorneys. They will also typically have a higher salary than ones with little to no legal training. Some legal assistants get promoted to law clerk and go on to law school to become lawyers.
The best legal assistants have specific skills that make a law office or legal department and attorney’s day-to-day run smoothly and on schedule. Some of the skills needed to be an excellent legal assistant are:
Organizational skills
Ability to multitask
Interpersonal skills
Computer skills and working knowledge of commonly used office programs
Communication skills, both written and verbal
Attention to detail
Research skills
Time-management skills
The need for legal assistants is expected to grow as many large companies expand their in-office legal departments as a way to cut costs. Legal assistants with top skills and education will remain in demand with more opportunities opening up in industries such as insurance, finance, healthcare, and business consulting.
Hiring a legal assistant is an excellent choice to help off-load some of your time-consuming administrative work and focus on critical case-related matters. When looking for a legal assistant, you’ll want to be sure you hire one that is the right fit for your firm and needs. Here are some things to consider when hiring a legal assistant:
Identify your needs – Before you start the headhunting process to find a legal assistant, you’ll want to clearly define what duties you want them to complete. Writing an accurate job description is essential to attract qualified candidates.
Training and experience – Some professionals get into the legal assistant role without previous industry training or experience. If you want your legal assistant to handle administrative tasks solely, hiring one without much legal experience but with a lot of clerical experience is viable.
A professional that’s an expert at customer support, managing calendars, typing documents, and organizing files would be a good fit for an administrative-focused legal assistant position.
– If you need your legal assistant to help with case-related duties such as legal research or filing documents with the courts, you may consider hiring one with more experience in the legal industry. You might even need a legal assistant with experience in your law specialties, such as immigration or family law.
The right fit – With any position within a company, the right fit is more than just having the skills to get the job done. A legal assistant works in the office, so they must fit in with its culture and work ethic. When interviewing candidates for your legal assistant position, you’ll want to pay attention to their attitudes and values to determine if they would fit well within your office culture.
Communication – You’ll want to ensure the legal assistant you hire has excellent communication skills. Legal assistants work directly with clients via phone and email every day, so they must be great communicators to satisfy clients’ needs effectively and accurately. You’ll also want to hire a legal assistant with exceptional interpersonal skills.
A legal assistant is a professional who supports lawyers with administrative tasks so they can focus on the essential legal work. A legal assistant answers phones and emails, conducts research, types up documents, and other time-consuming duties that are essential for the law office or legal department to run smoothly.
A legal assistant must be detail-oriented, an excellent communicator, and highly organized. A legal assistant plays a critical role in the office and adds to the organization’s overall success. Legal assistants work in law offices, government agencies, and other large organizations with legal departments.
Sources:
NALA – The leading paralegal association | National Association of Legal Assistants
Paralegal Certification – Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam and Credentialing | NFPA