Working-from-home is the standard today for the new normal. You want to be safe from health hazards while providing the best for your family. And it has proven to be a stable source of income.
So what online jobs are available for you? If you have experience and knowledge in the legal field, a legal assistant career might be for you.
What Do Legal Assistants Do
Practicing law is a demanding profession. It’s fast-paced with tight deadlines. And not using your time well can mean losing a case. That’s why legal assistants are there to aid lawyers to finish the administrative tasks required for cases.
But it’s not as simple as it seems. Here are 9 essential skills you should have to become a sought-after legal assistant.
Legal Know-how
What’s a “last will testament”? What do you need to prepare for a trial? How do you properly do docket-keeping?
As a legal assistant, you should have a working knowledge of legal requirements and templates. Yes, you can be trained. But at least familiarize yourself with these legal procedures and know-how so that you can properly support your clients.
Research Skills
You can’t possibly know everything. And sometimes, there is case-specific information that your client needs. What should you do to assist them?
You should have the research skills to find the data you are looking for. And It doesn’t stop with Google alone. You need to know how to get resources on communities, groups, forums, and other scholarly platforms.
Organization Skills
More often than not, lawyers don’t have the time to organize documents, set appointments, answer calls, and so many more admin tasks. That’s why you should have the organizational skills to keep their files and schedules organized.
Computer Skills
Some lawyers are still using manual tools to organize all their files. With your help, it’s time to modernize their workflow. They need someone that can ease their admin tasks further with technology.
That’s why you should be equipped with the proper computer skills for this task. You should know how to create word documents, spreadsheets, and even schedule with Calendly and Google workspace.
Writing Skills
The legal profession involves a lot of writing as you create documents and affidavits for your client. Oftentimes, you will be given a template for specific documents. But in case there’s none, you should be able to express your ideas clearly in a formal and professional tone.
Transcription Skills
There will be times that you need to transcribe recordings, especially during depositions. Lawyers don’t have the time to transcribe it themselves. And vital information on these recordings can be used to win the case. That’s why you should also know how to transcribe fast with accuracy.
Detail-oriented
And recordings aren’t the only ones that need accuracy. You should also be detail-oriented in every aspect of the job. The legal field is very particular with terminologies, formats, and sentence construction, especially while citing legal sources.
Interpersonal Skills
You will be talking to a lot of people from different walks of life. You will be connecting with businessmen, lawyers, plaintiffs, defendants, witnesses, and many more. And corresponding with them might be a challenging task.
You should have the interpersonal skills to communicate to them the information they need.
Collaboration Skills
In the legal field, you will not be working alone. Aside from your interpersonal skills, you should know how to collaborate with a team. You might be working with different lawyers, paralegals, and more, depending on the case you’re handling.
You should be able to cooperate with them properly to achieve the goal your company wants.
Conclusion
With the above skills, you should be able to ease your way to a thriving legal assistant career.
If you’re looking for a career in this field, you can check out this link for open opportunities. Good luck! Cheers!
