There's no doubt about it — lawyers are some of the hardest working people. It's important to note, however, that behind every great lawyer is often a great legal assistant. To the untrained eye, legal assistants and paralegals are often falsely perceived as interchangeable. But despite some shared duties, their responsibilities and education differ significantly.

The Distinction Between a Legal Assistant and a Paralegal

From appointment setting, to legal document preparation, to billing and invoicing, it takes a lot to run a law practice. A legal assistant — sometimes referred to as a legal office assistant — is someone who works closely with attorneys, helping shoulder the brunt of their administrative work. In doing so, attorneys can focus on their substantive legal work.

According to the American Bar Association, a paralegal is defined as someone qualified by education training or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office corporation, governmental agency, or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible. Unlike legal assistants, they spend more time doing work like researching laws and helping prepare and brief attorneys for their actual trials. Some might even say a paralegal is practically a lawyer, they just can’t represent clients in court, or provide legal advice.

Education

Unlike legal assistants, a paralegal must receive special training and certification in most states with some exceptions. Although the requirements can vary, typically legal assistants may only be required to have a high school diploma.

That said, a career in legal support is fast-paced and competitive. Legal assistants hoping to stand out amongst applicants may opt to become certified accredited legal professionals. (CLP) Although it is not technically required to be a legal assistant, it can demonstrate your eagerness and commitment to supporting the busy and demanding world of a lawyer. Some attorneys will only consider certified legal assistance when going through resumes, so it certainly puts candidates at an advantage.

Duties of a Legal Assistant

Client Communication

One of the most critical aspects of finding and retaining clients is being communicative. With lawyers having much on their plates, building and researching their cases, being responsive and timely is challenging. This is where legal assistants can be incredibly convenient. They can get back to prospective clients via email, providing more information about the law firm, sifting through voicemails, and making follow-up calls. Although they can't offer any legal advice, they can answer basic questions about the law firm, which can significantly lighten a lawyer's workload.

Scheduling

The scheduling aspect of running a law firm can be a hindrance to your workflow. Your clients have busy lives of their own, so agreeing to a time that works for both you and them can result in perpetual email back and forths. Busy lawyers don't always have the time to get stuck in an email vortex trying to schedule a simple consultation. Not only can legal assistants handle the scheduling aspect of appointment setting, but they can also help avoid client no-shows and mix-ups by sending out appointment reminders.

Billing

Billing is a tremendous undertaking unto itself. In the absence of billing software, lawyers may opt for a legal assistant to do their invoice preparation and billing tasks for them to free up hours of their week. Any invoices that are left unpaid, will usually be followed up on by legal assistants, attempting to collect payment and accommodate clients by offering flexible payment options.

Document Organization

It goes without saying that there are a lot of documents that go into each matter. Legal assistants may help gather requested documents that lawyers need for a case and help organize files between clients.

There's no doubt about it — lawyers are some of the hardest working people. It's important to note, however, that behind every great lawyer is often a great legal assistant. To the untrained eye, legal assistants and paralegals are often falsely perceived as interchangeable. But despite some shared duties, their responsibilities and education differ significantly.

The Distinction Between a Legal Assistant and a Paralegal

From appointment setting, to legal document preparation, to billing and invoicing, it takes a lot to run a law practice. A legal assistant — sometimes referred to as a legal office assistant — is someone who works closely with attorneys, helping shoulder the brunt of their administrative work. In doing so, attorneys can focus on their substantive legal work.

According to the American Bar Association, a paralegal is defined as someone qualified by education training or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office corporation, governmental agency, or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible. Unlike legal assistants, they spend more time doing work like researching laws and helping prepare and brief attorneys for their actual trials. Some might even say a paralegal is practically a lawyer, they just can’t represent clients in court, or provide legal advice.

Education

Unlike legal assistants, a paralegal must receive special training and certification in most states with some exceptions. Although the requirements can vary, typically legal assistants may only be required to have a high school diploma.

That said, a career in legal support is fast-paced and competitive. Legal assistants hoping to stand out amongst applicants may opt to become certified accredited legal professionals. (CLP) Although it is not technically required to be a legal assistant, it can demonstrate your eagerness and commitment to supporting the busy and demanding world of a lawyer. Some attorneys will only consider certified legal assistance when going through resumes, so it certainly puts candidates at an advantage.

Duties of a Legal Assistant

Client Communication

One of the most critical aspects of finding and retaining clients is being communicative. With lawyers having much on their plates, building and researching their cases, being responsive and timely is challenging. This is where legal assistants can be incredibly convenient. They can get back to prospective clients via email, providing more information about the law firm, sifting through voicemails, and making follow-up calls. Although they can't offer any legal advice, they can answer basic questions about the law firm, which can significantly lighten a lawyer's workload.

Scheduling

The scheduling aspect of running a law firm can be a hindrance to your workflow. Your clients have busy lives of their own, so agreeing to a time that works for both you and them can result in perpetual email back and forths. Busy lawyers don't always have the time to get stuck in an email vortex trying to schedule a simple consultation. Not only can legal assistants handle the scheduling aspect of appointment setting, but they can also help avoid client no-shows and mix-ups by sending out appointment reminders.

Billing

Billing is a tremendous undertaking unto itself. In the absence of billing software, lawyers may opt for a legal assistant to do their invoice preparation and billing tasks for them to free up hours of their week. Any invoices that are left unpaid, will usually be followed up on by legal assistants, attempting to collect payment and accommodate clients by offering flexible payment options.

Document Organization

It goes without saying that there are a lot of documents that go into each matter. Legal assistants may help gather requested documents that lawyers need for a case and help organize files between clients.