Become a Legal Assistant: What You Should Know

Do you want to become a legal assistant? Do you want to highlight your sense of hospitality and communication? Do you know how to listen? Do you have an impeccable presentation? Courtesy and discretion are among your many qualities, as well as being mobile and available.

If legal authorities hold no secrets for you, and you have a solid legal foundation, then do not hesitate any longer and read our article to learn more about what is required for this exciting job. Register for the Legal Assistant Diploma offered at ABM Colleges to become an expert in this field.

Tasks

The legal assistant helps legal professionals in their missions. These can be lawyers, bailiffs, or notaries. The legal assistant can also work in a company’s legal or litigation department. He has many missions ranging from administrative and office work to preparing the files of the firm where he works.

He will then have to keep watch on the texts of the law, write assignments and summary notes, and write the reports on the files. The legal assistant is versatile and can deal with social law, business law, or trade. Here are some of its many missions:

Reception of clients: The legal assistant is the first person clients will meet in the firm. He will therefore be responsible for welcoming them and directing them as necessary.
File follow-up: The legal assistant will prepare the pleading files or draft certain legal acts.
Making appointments and managing schedules: Right arm of lawyers, lawyers, notaries, etc., the legal assistant will establish everyone’s schedules by making appointments, but also by taking care of travel.
Legal watch: The legal assistant will always have an eye on the evolution of the legislation. For this, they will have to keep a watchful eye.
Drafting of official acts: The legal assistant will prepare the briefing notes and write the official acts.

Qualities and Skills

The legal assistant is a versatile professional who must carry out many missions. To achieve them, they have many qualities:

Welcoming and courteous: The legal assistant remains the first person who receives clients. He represents the firm that employs him. Thus, it must be pleasant and welcoming while having a perfect presentation.
Discreet: When clients arrive in a law firm or at the notary’s, it is often for delicate matters. The legal assistant must know how to be discreet.
Excellent interpersonal skills: The legal assistant works in a team and must have a sense of contact.
Knows several languages: The legal assistant often works for firms that have international clients. While English is compulsory, knowledge of other languages is welcome.
Mobile and available: When the cases are complex, the legal assistant often has to take extra time, finish late and work overtime. It also happens that he has to move.
Rigorous and organized: The legal assistant manages several files at the same time and must demonstrate great rigor and a flawless sense of organization.
Computer literate: The legal assistant works all day on the computer and masters his main tool perfectly.
Autonomous: The legal assistant can take the initiative to relieve his superiors. He doesn’t need to be told all the time what to do.
Master the legal vocabulary: The legal assistant works with legal professionals and therefore knows the legal language perfectly: he knows the basics of law and the functioning of legal bodies.

The salary of an entry-level paralegal will vary between $1,800 and $2,300 per month at the start of your career. The more experience you get and train, the higher your income.