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Top legal assistant skills needed to get the job.
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Comments (19)

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What are the top 3 traits or skills every legal assistant must have to excel?

Can you suggest any tips or insights to develop your legal assistant expertise?

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......

64 months ago

does this site get hits?

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Diane in Huntington Beach, California

58 months ago

An ABA paralegal certificate, a Bachelor's degree, and some experience at a law firm, and/or experience in that particular field, product, etc..

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Karen in Homestead, Pennsylvania

49 months ago

Here is a list of the top ten skills that legal assistants need to succeed: legalcareers.about.com/od/practicetips/tp/paralegalskills-.htm

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greta in Fort Wayne, Indiana

47 months ago

Why would you need a BA, If you have the requirements to be a Legal assistant or Paralegal. most states don't have education requirements for employment.

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greta in Fort Wayne, Indiana

47 months ago

Thank you for this because, I just got my Paralegal Assoicate degree in may and got seven months for my assoicates in crimnal justice. My question is this; "atfer this what is best way for me to go on to law school?

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greta in Fort Wayne, Indiana

47 months ago

Thank you so much for your honest and frank answer and I'll do just that. Whould going to school like this would help me get to my goals? and also what is a good way of using this career.How whould I use these two associate degrees in your opinion?.

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greta in Fort Wayne, Indiana

47 months ago

Thanks for your input,My goals are to maintain a career in a field that whould keep me living well.The more I research this field it seems so crazy and selfish. Keep intouch.God bless

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Displaced Paralegal in Watervliet, Michigan

46 months ago

I have an associates degree in applied science {Paralegal/Legal Assistant Degree}. Every attorney I have worked for was impossible to please no matter how hard I worked or how many hours I put in. My advice for anyone starting out check with your state and make sure it is one that has adopted the new law requiring anyone preparing legal documents to be a certified paralegal. The problem with the states that have not adopted this new law is that most attorneys hire clerks from the local courthouse that have been there a few years and know the system and they can pay them alot less. Apply outside of Law Offices that is your best bet for better job opportunity and benefits.

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Working2Hard in Virginia

46 months ago

I have worked in government agencies and private law firms. Government agencies definitely appreciate their paralegals more and appreciate their education and having at least a paralegal certificate will help. The private law firm will hire a 19 yr old kid off the street and make her a paralegal because she knows how to spell lawyer properly and pay her $8 an hour. All that does is set the bar at paying other paralegals at a low rate.

No--I'm not bitter.... ;)

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greta in Fort Wayne, Indiana

45 months ago

I just finished my externship in an Law office
and it was crazy everyone in the office was didn't have any legal experience and your right it 19 off the street is it. Hoping that he would hire me and he didn't. So on to the next job. I strat back to schol on the 2nd of september. God is good!

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unemployed paralegal in California, Maryland

20 months ago

I have my AS in paralegal studies and a AA in criminal justice and am working toward a BS in legal studies now. I come with 16 yrs. of investigation and police experience. I've tried applying for jobs and I haven't even gotten a phone call back when the advertised paralegal job specifies no paralegal experience or school necessary. I've given up. Best of luck to all you still looking.

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mary in Tampa, Florida

20 months ago

It's pretty bad they they are advertising no experience or no schooling.

Just what are they thinking!!!

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jslinfla in Delray Beach, Florida

20 months ago

Thank you for this because, I just got my Paralegal Assoicate degree in may and got seven months for my assoicates in crimnal justice. My question is this; "atfer this what is best way for me to go on to law school?-Greta-Fort Wayne, IN
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First things first. You say you have seven months left to complete an Associate degree in criminal justice. Before going to law school you need to have a Bachelor degree in any field with a strong Grade Point Average. Since you started down the road with criminal justice for the associate degree, I suggest you continue down that path which will lead to a Bachelor Degree in Criminal Justice. Remember to keep your grades up!

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unemployed paralegal in California, Maryland

20 months ago

Honestly it is probably better just to go to law school than to try to make it as a paralegal. For every paralegal or legal assistant job I find, I'm finding 20 or more lawyer jobs. Some of the job hits I get have nothing to do with being a paralegal. For example the machinist job that had job benefits that included legal services. Yeah that's me, pass me a wrench :) And what Greta said about hiring the 19 yr. old who can spell lawyer and work for $8 an hours.....she's absolutely right. If I'm capable of doing substantive legal work, do I really want to just be a glorified receptionist answering the phone and making coffee for $8 an hour.

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dina in Bronx, New York

20 months ago

I am about to graduate with a asssociate degree in paralegal studies from a ABA approved paralegal program this Semester. Do you think i should go for a bachelor degree also I am having some doubts , because every paralegal job postings that i searched required a lot of experiences that i do not have .I don't want to limit myself only to law . Why would you do ?

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dina in Bronx, New York

20 months ago

thanks for th advice

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Marcella in Mississippi State, Mississippi

18 months ago

Any advice my main goal is to be a lawyer just graduate college with a BA and I want to do get a job as a paralegal to get exposed to the work. But I have no legal experience besides knowledge acquired in school

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MPlank

12 months ago

I have a BS in criminal justice and some paralegal classes done. I cannot find a job. What other jobs can one reasonably apply for with my education? Five years in classes and I cannot seem to find or land anything.

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