Paralegal or Legal Assistant
Other Titles
Corporate Law Assistant, Law Associate, Legal Analyst, Legal Assistant, Litigation Paralegal, Paralegal, Paralegal Assistant, Paralegal Specialist
Assist lawyers by investigating facts, preparing legal documents, or researching legal precedent. Conduct research to support a legal proceeding, to formulate a defense, or to initiate legal action. In this role, they prepare various legal documents including summons, contracts, briefs, and wills. They also send out and receive legal correspondences. A part of their job is to organise and maintain legal documents at an office. They also receive phone calls from clients and schedule appointments. Their job activities may also include administrative tasks related to the court, such as filing pleadings.
Prepare affidavits or other documents, such as legal correspondence, and organize and maintain documents in paper or electronic filing system.
Prepare legal documents, including briefs, pleadings, appeals, wills, contracts, and real estate closing statements.
Prepare for trial by performing tasks such as organizing exhibits.
Investigate facts and law of cases and search pertinent sources, such as public records and internet sources, to determine causes of action and to prepare cases.
Meet with clients and other professionals to discuss details of case.
File pleadings with court clerk.
Gather and analyze research data, such as statutes, decisions, and legal articles, codes, and documents.
Direct and coordinate law office activity, including delivery of subpoenas.
Call upon witnesses to testify at hearing.
Arbitrate disputes between parties and assist in the real estate closing process, such as by reviewing title searches.
Keep and monitor legal volumes to ensure that law library is up-to-date.
Reading Comprehension→ Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening→ Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking→ Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Writing→ Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Critical Thinking→ Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Active Learning→ Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Complex Problem Solving→ Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Coordination→ Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Judgment and Decision Making→ Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Monitoring→ Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Service Orientation→ Actively looking for ways to help people.
Time Management→ Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Interacting With Computers→ Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates→ Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards→ Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Getting Information→ Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work→ Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Performing Administrative Activities→ Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
Documenting/Recording Information→ Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Processing Information→ Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge→ Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems→ Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events→ Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Analyzing Data or Information→ Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization→ Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships→ Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others→ Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings→ Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Scheduling Work and Activities→ Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public→ Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others→ Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
Maintain the order of legal documents.
Prepare legal documents.
Research relevant legal materials to aid decision making.
Confer with court staff to clarify information.
Meet with individuals involved in legal processes to provide information and clarify issues.
Evaluate information related to legal matters in public or personal records.
Coordinate legal schedules or activities.
Represent the interests of clients in legal proceedings.
Arbitrate disputes between parties to resolve legal conflicts.
Written Comprehension→ The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Oral Comprehension→ The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression→ The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Written Expression→ The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Near Vision→ The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Speech Clarity→ The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition→ The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Problem Sensitivity→ The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Deductive Reasoning→ The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning→ The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Information Ordering→ The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g. , patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Category Flexibility→ The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Flexibility of Closure→ The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
Perceptual Speed→ The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
Clerical→ Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Language→ Knowledge of the structure and content of a language - English, French, Swahili et cetera - including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Law and Government→ Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Customer and Personal Service→ Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Computers and Electronics→ Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Accounting software -- Tax software; Financial accounting software; Intuit QuickBooks
Analytical or scientific software -- Case analysis software; Electronic discovery software; Litigation support software; LexisNexis Applied Discovery
Categorization or classification software -- Sharing and organizing case information; Bowne JFS Litigator's Notebook
Customer relationship management CRM software -- e.g., Thomson West ProLaw; Software Technology PracticeMaster
Database user interface and query software -- Practice management software PMS; Relational database software; Data entry software; LexisNexis CaseMap; Microsoft Access; TrialWorks
Desktop publishing software -- Digital contract software; Microsoft Publisher; ProForce Paralegal Pro-Pack; Blumbeg Drafting Libraries
Document management software -- Document management system software; Electronic transcription management software; Records management software; Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat; Microsoft Office SharePoint Server MOSS; CaseSoft DepPrep; LexisNexis HotDocs; NetDocuments
Electronic mail software -- e.g., Zoho Mail; Microsoft Outlook
File versioning software -- Document management software; Knowledge management software; Zylab ZyImage
Information retrieval or search software -- Online database search and retrieval software; Online public records search software; Online title search and property report software; FindForms; LexisNexis; Thomson West FindLaw; Westlaw
Internet browser software -- e.g., Apple Safari; Windows Explorer; Google Chrome; Mozilla Firefox
Library software -- Computer access catalog software
Office suite software -- e.g., Corel WordPerfect; Google Workspace; Microsoft Office
Optical character reader OCR or scanning software -- Optical character recognition OCR software
Pattern design software — Timeline graphing tool; CaseSoft TimeMap
Presentation software -- e.g., Google Slides; Corel Presentations; Microsoft PowerPoint
Project management software -- e.g., Microsoft Project; Microsoft SharePoint
Spreadsheet software -- e.g., Corel Quattro Pro; Microsoft Excel; Google Sheets
Transaction server software -- Managed file transfer software; Tumbleweed SecureTransport
Video creation and editing software -- Deposition software; Thomson Reuters LiveNote Stream
Word processing software -- e.g., Corel Wordperfect; Microsoft Word; Google Docs; LexisNexis CheckCite; The Sackett Group MacPac for Legal
Conventional→ Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Investigative→ Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Enterprising→ Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Attention to Detail→ Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Integrity→ Job requires being honest and ethical.
Dependability→ Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Initiative→ Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Cooperation→ Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Adaptability/Flexibility→ Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Achievement/Effort→ Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Stress Tolerance→ Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Persistence→ Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Independence→ Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Self Control→ Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Analytical Thinking→ Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Concern for Others→ Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Leadership→ Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Social Orientation→ Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Relationships→ Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support→ Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Working Conditions→ Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.