Legal Assistant Job Description

What is the job description of a Legal Assistant? What are the duties and responsibilities of a Legal Assistant? What does a Legal Assistant do?

Job description of a Legal Assistant

Legal Assistants, also known as Paralegals, are legal professionals who assist individual lawyers or legal teams by preparing and prioritizing legal documents. They perform legal research, compile legal documents and evidence, facilitate interviews, and provide assistance prior to and during court proceedings.

This Legal Assistant job description example includes the list of most important Legal Assistant duties and responsibilities as shown below. It can be modified to fit the specific Legal Assistant profile you're trying to fill as a recruiter or job seeker.

Legal Assistant Duties and Responsibilities

Legal Assistant job description should contain a variety of functions and roles including:

  • Conduct legal research on cases and gather pertinent legal information.
  • Interpret laws, rulings and regulations in legal documents.
  • Compile, proofread and edit drafts of contracts, leases, licenses, policies and other legal documents.
  • Monitor, study and develop written summaries of proposed and enacted legislation, regulations, court decisions, industry guidelines, trade journals and other relevant publications.
  • Assist with case preparation including opening and closing arguments, and aiding in court motions or pleadings.
  • Daily record keeping with electronic and physical filing of caseloads.
  • Analyze and summarize documents.
  • Assist with the administration and management of workflow.
  • Locate and interview witnesses.
  • General administrative duties ie. answering correspondence and taking telephone calls.

Legal Assistant Requirements / Skills / Qualifications

Legal Assistant job description should include these common skills and qualifications:

  • Bachelors degree in Law or Paralegal certification or similar (essential).
  • Legal research experience.
  • Experience in drafting legal and business documents.
  • Analytical thinker with strong conceptual and research skills.
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office, Lexis-Nexis, PACER, Westlaw and other legal research sites.
  • Ability to understand and interpret legal documents.
  • Strong organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail.
  • Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.

As a hiring manager, recruiting an ideal Legal Assistant starts with crafting a good job description. Use this Legal Assistant job description template to save yourself time and help you attract the most qualified candidates. Feel free to revise it to meet your specific needs.

Job seekers interviewing for the role of a Legal Assistant may also reference it in preparation for the interview.