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Are you interested in the law?
Are you organized and can you take good notes?
If you also have skills in the areas of:
Clear communication
Time management
Critical thinking
...then a career as a legal administrative assistant may be a good fit for you!
Did you know?
Legal administrative assistants are also known as legal secretaries, but this job is different from the job of a paralegal. Legal assistants are limited to office duties while paralegals do more research and work more closely with lawyers on their cases.
What does a legal assistant do?
Preparing legal documents (deeds, wills, and affidavits)
Ensuring that legal documents are free from errors and comply with the law via proofreading
Administrative tasks such as organizing files, scheduling appointments and meetings
Opening office mail and distributing it to recipients
Communicating with other departments or organizations
Taking notes in court, meetings, or conferences
Converting written notes or dictations into legal briefs
Quiz
What would NOT be part of a legal assistant's duties?
A legal assistant is only responsible for administrative work that supports a lawyer's work. They're not licensed to practice law.
Where do legal assistants work?
Law offices
Government
Real estate companies
Land title offices
Municipal, regional, and federal courts
Legal departments of large companies
Job Prospects
Across Canada, the median wage for legal assistants is $24.73/hr. Wages are the highest in Western Canada, the highest being Alberta's median wage at $28.85/hr.
Job prospects across the Canadian provinces are moderate to good. According to the Government of Canada, "for legal administrative assistants, over the period 2022-2031, new job openings are expected to total 18,000."
Education Requirements
To be a legal administrative assistant, usually you need to complete:
High school
A one- or two-year college or other program for secretaries or legal secretaries
Photo by Element5 Digital on UnsplashTake Action
How do you know if this is a good career for you?
This Byte has been authored by
Jessica Ghansiam
Volunteer