Legal Assistant FAQ
Legal Assistant FAQ
Q: What is a Legal Assistant?
A: A legal assistant is an individual who has been trained to assist a lawyer with non legal services. Legal assistants are sometimes referred to as paralegals or legal aides.
Q: What are Legal Assistant Job Duties?
A: Legal assistants typically have many job duties in a legal office, including filing paperwork, answering phones, interviewing clients and witnesses, researching facts, preparing documents, and ensuring the correct information is passed on to both lawyers and clients via email, phone, postal mail, or fax. They are may also be responsible for litigation case management, as deemed necessary by their supervising attorney.
Q: What Type of Training is Required for the Legal Assistant?
A: Some legal assistants are training on the job. These assistants generally do not start out in a legal assistant position, but are usually secretaries or assistants with a firm. The majority of legal aides obtain their associate’s or bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies before entering the legal field. Master’s degrees in paralegal studies are also offered by some schools. If you already have a college degree, you may want to consider earning a certificate in paralegal studies.
Over 200 schools within the United States are approved by the American Bar Association. Obtaining your education through one of these schools may not be required by most employers, but will be looked favorably upon.
Q: How Long will it Take to Complete Legal Assistant Training?
A: Training to become a legal assistant will vary, depending on the level of education you wish to obtain. Associate’s degrees require two years and Bachelor’s degrees generally require four. Certificate programs generally take less than two years to complete, depending whether they are done on campus or online. Master’s degrees in paralegal studies may take up to six years to complete.
Q: What are the Prerequisites for Being a Legal Assistant?
A: A college education is generally required to become a legal assistant. Those who are trained on the job generally have college backgrounds and experiences that may be helpful in the legal field. Some of these may be nursing or medical education, experience and education with criminal justice, or knowledge of taxes and tax preparation.
Paralegal education is also important, and some firms may require you to complete your education before beginning work as a legal aide. Others may allow you to work as a legal aide while you are in school.
Legal assistants must have great computer skills, communication skills, be trustworthy and honest, and must be able to follow directions well.
Q: What is Involved in Legal Assistant Training?
A: The majority of schools offering training for legal assistants will provide you with both classroom education and education in the field. In the classroom, you will be taught how to do legal research, how to use computers, the different legal applications for computers, preparing and summarizing legal documents, and legal calendaring. Many schools also offer field experience, allowing their students to undergo internships at real law firms to learn how to perform their job duties on a daily basis.
Q: After Legal Assistant Training, will I be Ready for Employment?
A: When you have completed your training to become a legal assistant, you may be required to gain some experience in the workplace before you can be employed with the firm or office you desire.
Certification is possible after training, and although most states do not require it, many employers look positively on legal assistant who become certified and registered with the state they work in. Standards for certification are generally determined by the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA). Legal assistant who qualify with these standards will be permitted to take a two day exam. Upon passing this exam, they will be awarded a five year certificate and will be registered with their state as a certified legal assistant.
Q: Where can I Find Employment as a Legal Assistant?
A: Legal Assistants can be employed by public or private law firms, banks, government offices, and health care facilities. Many also own their own businesses and some work privately under contract labor.
Q: What is the Earning Potential of a Legal Assistant?
According to payscale.com legal assistants earn an average of $ 23,124 to $59,012 each year. Earnings can be expected to increase with more experience, higher education, and better skills.