Legal assistants help lawyers to prepare legal documents, maintain records and files, and conduct research. They are employed by law firms and legal departments in both the public and the private sector.
A legal assistant's job is to help lawyers by doing some of the research for court cases, real estate deals and other activities in which a law firm may be involved. Your duties may vary, since law firms may be broken down into areas of specialization. Often, lawyers specialize in a certain aspect of the law, such as real estate, corporate, or litigation and court work. As a legal assistant, your may work, therefore, in one particular area of law.
You do the preliminary organization and preparation of the legal forms and documents for each case or deal on which a lawyer is working. This may involve phoning banks and other institutions or interviewing clients in order to get the information required to prepare the documents. You may also research records and court files when assisting a lawyer in the preparation of a case.
You must ensure that all files, contracts and documents are correct and accurate. If you are working on a real estate deal, it is your job to ensure that all figures and calculations are correct.
Part of your job may be to supervise and instruct legal secretaries and other support staff in their work. In fact one of the most important duties of a legal assistant is the day-to-day administration of the department or area of the firm in which you work. You monitor, record and delegate assignments to the secretaries. In some cases, you may act as a liaison between lawyers and the office support staff.
Your job as a legal assistant is a very busy one. You are responsible for much of the preparation and documentation lawyers require to do their jobs properly. This can be very stressful at times. In a busy law firm, there is a steady flow of documentation that must be done.
You must have full knowledge of all the forms, contracts and documents required for every legal situation. In many cases, there is very little time to prepare the proper documentation. You may be required to work long hours in order to meet deadlines.
Much of your time is spent dealing with people. You must work closely with lawyers and be able to fully understand their requirements when preparing a case or a transaction. You do not make legal decisions, but your research is extremely important in helping a lawyer decide how to handle a case or a contract.
Despite the work load and deadlines, your job can be very satisfying and interesting. You interact with a wide variety of people and deal with many situations. Modern law offices are usually comfortable and pleasant places in which to work.
As with other aspects of the workplace, the computer has increased efficiency in the law office. On the other hand, transactions and contracts are more complex today. You must fully understand all forms and legal documents. You must also constantly upgrade your knowledge and keep informed abut changes in technology that pertain to the activities of the law office.
Generally, legal assistants are paid a salary. You may have to work overtime in order to complete the paperwork required for each case.
If you enjoy working with people in a busy office environment, a job as a legal assistant may be for you. Legal assistants not only work with lawyers, but also deal with clients, courtroom clerks, registry office officials, and mortgage managers. You must be professional, courteous and efficient, since the way you conduct yourself reflects upon the lawyer and your firm.
In your dealings with secretaries and other office staff, it's important that you communicate well and get along with people in order to get the work done properly and on time
You are often required to do a lot of work under tight deadlines. You should work well under pressure and stay calm, even when you are extremely busy.
A good legal assistant must have an eye for detail, thoroughness and accuracy. You must also be neat and very organized. A great deal of paperwork comes across you desk. You must be thorough and accurate in your preparation, since a mistake could cost your firm a lot of money or have serious consequences for its clients.
Legal assistants are self-motivated, and must be able to work on their own and make their own decisions.
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