Legal Assistant / Paralegal

A Legal Assistant / Paralegal works in a law office as a researcher and document preparer / tracker for a lawyer.

A legal assistant / paralegal researches old cases and rulings to find information that may be relevant to the case the lawyer is currently working on. Then, he or she will create a document for the lawyer summarizing the information gathered. The legal assistant / paralegal will also create, categorize, and file case documents so that they are easier to obtain and view.

This job is performed mainly in law firms, which typically require business attire. Some legal assistants / paralegals work 40-hour weeks all year, while others work long hours for inconsistent time periods.

Since computer skills and knowledge of legal terms and processes are required, training in a must. If you already have a degree, a legal assistant / paralegal certificate may suffice. Otherwise, an associates or bachelors degree in legal assisting / paralegal will look really nice on your resume. The following schools offer degrees or certificates in this area.