What Do Paralegals and Legal Assistants Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Paralegals and Legal Assistants 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. They also prepare affidavits or other documents, such as legal correspondence, and organize and maintain documents in paper or electronic filing system.

Other tasks include:

• 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.

We asked Paralegals and Legal Assistants how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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69% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 45% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Paralegals and Legal Assistants prepare affidavits or other documents, such as legal correspondence, and organize and maintain documents in paper or electronic filing system. They prepare legal documents, including briefs, pleadings, appeals, wills, contracts, and real estate closing statements.

A typical day for a Paralegal and Legal Assistant will also include:

• File pleadings with court clerk.
• Direct and coordinate law office activity, including delivery of subpoenas.
• Meet with clients and other professionals to discuss details of case.
• 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.
• Keep and monitor legal volumes to ensure that law library is up-to-date.

We asked some Paralegals and Legal Assistants a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	90% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	67% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	70% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	48% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	11% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	45% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Paralegals and Legal Assistants also arbitrate disputes between parties and assist in the real estate closing process, such as by reviewing title searches. They may also appraise and inventory real and personal property for estate planning.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Paralegals and Legal Assistants Meet with clients and other professionals to discuss details of case. They might also 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.

In addition, they Gather and analyze research data, such as statutes, decisions, and legal articles, codes, and documents.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them File pleadings with court clerk.

To some Paralegals and Legal Assistants, it is also their responsibility to Prepare for trial by performing tasks such as organizing exhibits.

Working life

Standard 40 hour work week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Paralegal and Legal Assistant, you can expect to work 40 hour work week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas..

They also like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/legal/paralegals-and-legal-assistants.htm

http://www.nala.org/

https://www.nals.org/

http://www.paralegals.org/