Legal Assistant Training - Legal Assistants

According to the American Bar Association (ABA), the terms legal assistant and paralegal are considered synonymous.  A legal assistant performs the intellectual heavy lifting in a law office, for this position conducts research, prepares key documents, evaluates case histories and more.

Most assistants and paralegals receive their training at one of more than 600 legal assistant training schools across the country.

If you already have a bachelor's degree in another field, you can qualify to work in a law office in as little as three semesters of classes leading to a legal assistant certificate. Or you can attend a four-year program in legal professional studies. Both are broadly recognized by the ABA.

Legal Assistants Perform Intensive Work 

Whether they're hired by a legal firm, a corporate law department, or a federal, state and local government agency, legal assistants should be prepared to roll up their sleeves for intensive research and writing.

While prevented by law from actually arguing cases in court or giving out legal advice, legal assistants increasingly are called upon by law firms to prepare briefs, analyze judicial precedents and history, draft mortgages and trusts, and investigate legal literature.

Legal Assistants Employment Outlook  

According to federal statistics, law firms will be hiring legal assistants and paralegal professionals at a steady rate through the decade. It pays to research the firms that are hiring to ensure that you work in the area of law that most appeals to you. The  legal assistant will focus on the specialty of the firm where they work, whether criminal, civil, corporate, environmental, and so on. Your work may center on personal injury, environmental, real estate, family law, bankruptcies, or immigration cases.