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Legal Assistant Resume Samples
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0-5 years of experience
Received and processed all office payments in the form of checks, cash, and credit or debit cards.
- Composed and revised legal documents for attorneys, including letters, dispositions, and court filings.
- Answered direct attorney phone lines and acted as liaison between clients and attorneys.
- Ensured legal documents were processed and handled in a timely and efficient manner in order to comply with appropriate regulations and deadlines.
- Filed all documents through a web database for all office clients.
0-5 years of experience
Coordinated client appointments, filing deadlines, and court dates to maximize Lawyer’s schedule.
- Prepared, edited, and proofed legal documents in a professional manner.
- Prepared detailed, accurate, and timely monthly billing statements.
- Enhanced client relationships in person and by phone with sensitivity and confidentiality.
- Maintained office records, ordered supplies, and processed mail.
0-5 years of experience
Managed initial client intake. Improved relationships with Spanish speaking clients by providing translation services and ensuring opened lines of communication.
- Handled heavy case load and assisted with all aspects of the litigation cycle including legal research, factual investigation, medical records review, document management and trial preparation.
- Reviewed, organized, and summarized records for over 700 clients using software such as Excel, Adobe, and TrialWorks among others.
- Drafted legal documents including motions, brief inserts, discovery documents, correspondence and legal memoranda.
- Helped create, populate, and translate the firm’s website.
- Trained and mentored interns and new hires.
6-10 years of experience
Assisted attorneys with management of routine case files
- Prepared Replevins and non-complex pleadings, documents, correspondence, and affidavits
- Conducted basic research such as title searches, estate checks, asset location and skiptracing
- Generated over $108,000 in revenue annually
- Contacted clients, borrowers, attorneys, and courts to ensure for daily status updates
- Negotiated payment arrangements and sale or return of assets/collateral for attorney/client
0-5 years of experience
Provide legal and administrative assistance in a Family and Personal Injury law firm.
- Drafted decisions, motions, wills and petitions to be filed with the appropriate court.
- Served as liaison between attorneys, clients, healthcare providers, insurance carriers and other law firms.
- Answered telephones, set up appointments, and interviewed clients for case intake.
- Managed calendars and scheduled trials, conferences, and hearings.
0-5 years of experience
Reviewed contracts and drafted legal correspondence on behalf of legal plan members in an attempt to resolve disputes prior to taking legal action
- Prepared NY deeds and transfer tax forms for seven estate attorneys for estate planning purposes
- Arranged the preparation of non-NY deeds with various out of state attorneys
- Reviewed title documents and resolved any possible title issues
- Updated client as to the status of their file
- Scheduled the execution of documents with clients
- Maintained Excel database of file progress
- Filed documents at the Suffolk County Surrogate’s Court
0-5 years of experience
Handled all administrative and office support functions for two General Counsels.
- Responsible for fill-in secretarial and administrative support to the General Counsels.
- Arranged and organized travel arrangements.
- Answered high volume inquiries and e-mail responses.
- Coordinated fax projects and maintained legal records.
- Typed and composed legal documents and letters utilizing MS Word and Outlook.
- Utilized dictaphone to transcribe letters and legal documents.
- Prepared and administered departmental bills and expense reports.
- Maintained attorneys’ calendars by scheduling conferences.
0-5 years of experience
Worked under the supervision and direction of an attorney
- Performed clerical, substantive legal work in assisting an attorney
- Drafted pleadings and other documents
- Carry on legal research, both conventional and computer aided
- Researched public records and prepared discovery requests and responses
- Scheduled depositions and summarized depositions and other discovery responses
- Coordinated and manage document
Legal Assistant Duties and Responsibilities
Responsibilities vary somewhat for specialized legal assistants, but there are several tasks that are consistent across the field. We’ve researched and listed a few of these common tasks below:
Conduct Interviews Legal assistants schedule and facilitate interviews with clients, witnesses, and other pertinent individuals to help determine facts and gather evidence to help lawyers build their case.
Perform Research They assist legal counsel with case preparation by researching legal precedent, briefs, laws, and statutes, and investigating facts.
Draft Documents Documents such as subpoenas, deeds, and complaints and answers are typed by the legal assistant and prepared for mailing to the court or another recipient.
Screen Calls Lawyers spend of good part of their workday meeting with clients and in the court room. To help maximize their time, legal assistants screen incoming calls and determine whether they can assist the caller before transferring them to the lawyer or their voicemail.
Maintain Files Legal assistants keep office files (including pleadings and correspondence) current and organized so that lawyers or other office staff can easily access them.
Legal Assistant Skills and Qualifications
Employers seek legal assistants who are detail oriented and possess great people skills. They also prefer candidates with the following abilities:
- Analytical thinking – legal assistants analyze data and records, such as legal codes and articles, briefs, and statutes, to help build cases
- Organization skills – because they handle large amounts of paperwork and files and interact with multiple clients simultaneously, legal assistants must be organized
- Time management – legal assistants have multiple priorities, many of which are deadline driven, so they must effectively manage their time
- Typing – it’s essential for legal assistants to have speedy and accurate typing skills, because they’re responsible for drafting numerous documents and correspondence
- Knowledge of legal terminology – understanding legalese is important for legal assistants, as it helps them conduct research and analysis and write documentation
Legal Assistant Education and Training
A high school diploma is the minimum education requirement to enter this field, but an associate’s degree along with two years of experience are preferred by most employers.
Legal Assistant Salary and Outlook
Legal assistants’ annual salary, which may include bonuses, commissions, and profit sharing, ranges from $25,000 to $59,000. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a faster-than-average growth rate for legal assistants, with the field expected to grow 15 percent through 2026. Candidates with a postsecondary degree as well as strong computer and database management skills will have the best prospects for employment.
Helpful Resources
If you’re interested in becoming a legal assistant, it’ll pay to learn more about the job. You can start with the additional resources we’ve compiled below:
Career as a Paralegal: Legal Assistant – with this book, the Institute for Career Research provides a valuable tool for those interested in the legal assistant field. The text explores how to get into the industry, which fields legal assistants can specialize in, what the job’s day-to-day duties look like, and common salary and benefits packages
Legal Research and Writing for Paralegals – author Deborah E. Bouchoux offers paralegal students and those new to the legal assistant field an opportunity to brush up on or solidify their legal research and writing skills. She emphasizes the critical link between research and writing by incorporating writing strategies into each of the chapters on research
National Association of Legal Assistants – NALA uses continuing education and professional development to help paralegals build successful careers. Publications, courses, webinars, networking opportunities, professional certification programs, and job survey reports are made available to all members
National Federation of Paralegal Associations – NFPA was the first national association for paralegals. Its primary purpose is to advance the paralegal profession by monitoring legislation, case law, and proposed changes that will influence this profession