What does an assistant counsel do?
Assistant counsels are legal professionals who research and analyze various laws so they can apply them to the different legal issues that arose in a corporation. These counsels must develop an agency-wide client privacy policy and manage responses to all matters involving subpoenas and warrants. They advise other departments for legal claims related to the right of privacy and publicity as well as defamation. Assistant counsels are also required to act as labor attorneys for employees facing internal discrimination suits while dealing with FMLA, ERISA, and HIPAA issues.
Assistant counsel responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real assistant counsel resumes:
- Manage outside counsel relate to mortgage fraud recovery litigation, including cost management, litigation strategy and settlement terms.
- Assist in liaising with insurance authorities, responding to regulatory inquiries and managing relationship with region from legal and business perspective.
- Sell, consult and demonstrate office automation and conveyance software technology.
- Respond to lawsuits, subpoenas, as well as draft any need legal documents.
- Assist in drafting subpoenas, search warrants and preservation letters for social media content and mobile devices.
- Design, develop, and implement cost-effectively litigation strategies in order to secure convictions and facilitate preferential sentencing negotiations.
- Assist in liaising with insurance authorities, responding to regulatory inquiries and managing relationship with region from legal and business perspective.
- Advise clients concerning adoptions, protective services, guardianship, HIPAA, public benefits, procurement, contracts, personnel.
- Act as labor attorney for internal employment discrimination suits and so deal with FMLA, ERISA, and HIPAA issues.
- Draft and direct responsive pleadings to CHRO/EEOC, MERA, SBLR, FLSA, ADA, FMLA and MPP claims.
- Serve employees and managers working with FEMA with individual counseling.
- Draft and type grammatically correct office memos, handouts and manuals require by ANAC.
- Evaluate customer's credit worthiness, financial situation using Dunn & Bradstreet credit reports and take appropriate action.
- Review marketing and health management materials for Medicare and commercial business.
- Conduct substantial research concerning all facets of employment security and administrative appeals in order to develop departmental policies and procedures.
Assistant counsel skills and personality traits
We calculated that 14% of Assistant Counsels are proficient in Litigation, Legal Issues, and Legal Advice. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Interpersonal skills, and Problem-solving skills.
We break down the percentage of Assistant Counsels that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Litigation, 14%
Advised staff and kept them updated on Litigation Management issues, and advised on Product Liability exposure on newly developed applications.
- Legal Issues, 11%
Assumed position by invitation as a result of winning a writing competition analyzing legal issues unique to educational institutions.
- Legal Advice, 10%
Provided legal advice in executive management strategy sessions and business development meetings.
- Legal Research, 6%
Conducted extensive legal research and investigations using independent judgment, meticulous organization, discretion, and initiative.
- Intellectual Property, 5%
Authored White Paper on Branding and Intellectual Property issues for company-wide presentation.
- Mental Health, 4%
Served adults with mental health disabilities including adults with co-occurring substance abuse.
Common skills that an assistant counsel uses to do their job include "litigation," "legal issues," and "legal advice." You can find details on the most important assistant counsel responsibilities below.
Analytical skills. The most essential soft skill for an assistant counsel to carry out their responsibilities is analytical skills. This skill is important for the role because "lawyers interpret the law as it applies to their client’s case." Additionally, an assistant counsel resume shows how their duties depend on analytical skills: "originated a database to document fraud as preparation for litigation. "
Interpersonal skills. Another essential skill to perform assistant counsel duties is interpersonal skills. Assistant counsels responsibilities require that "lawyers must build relationships with current and prospective clients, as well as with their colleagues and other members of the legal community." Assistant counsels also use interpersonal skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "employed interpersonal skills with outside counsel regarding litigation strategies for unresolved matters against the company. "
Problem-solving skills. This is an important skill for assistant counsels to perform their duties. For an example of how assistant counsel responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "lawyers must evaluate information to propose viable solutions, mediate disputes, and reach agreements or settlements for their clients." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of an assistant counsel: "labor and employment relations support for restructurings, union relations and negotiations, staffing, dispute resolution, litigation settlements. ".
Research skills. assistant counsel responsibilities often require "research skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "lawyers need to find laws and regulations that apply to a specific matter in order to provide appropriate legal advice for their clients." This resume example shows what assistant counsels do with research skills on a typical day: "researched and wrote legal briefs for appellate litigation. "
The three companies that hire the most assistant counsels are:
- The Walt Disney Company24 assistant counsels jobs
- My Florida Regional Mls14 assistant counsels jobs
- Bradford Health Services13 assistant counsels jobs
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Assistant counsel vs. Legal extern
Legal externs are law students who took the opportunity to do on-the-job training at a law firm. Instead of monetary compensation, they receive academic credits. Legal externs primarily engage in job shadowing. They are usually assigned mentors in the law firm, and they would shadow their mentors in their daily routines. Legal externs are exposed to the actual work done by lawyers. Legal externs are involved in cases, providing insights while building a solid case for their client, giving advice to clients, and representing clients under the supervision of the actual lawyers in the firm. They are usually not given administrative or clerical tasks since they are expected to do more tasks directly related to being a lawyer.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of an assistant counsel are more likely to require skills like "strong work ethic," "excellent organizational," "mental health," and "human resources." On the other hand, a job as a legal extern requires skills like "legal intern," "legal memos," "pre-trial motions," and "court proceedings." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Legal externs really shine in the professional industry with an average salary of $69,693. Comparatively, assistant counsels tend to make the most money in the government industry with an average salary of $70,495.On average, legal externs reach similar levels of education than assistant counsels. Legal externs are 1.9% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.6% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Assistant counsel vs. Staff attorney
Staff Attorneys are legal employees who work for a variety of organizations, often as full-time employees. They use their legal expertise to help deal with day-to-day legal issues with which their organization needs regular assistance.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that assistant counsel responsibilities requires skills like "strong work ethic," "excellent organizational," "mental health," and "human resources." But a staff attorney might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "juris," "appeals," "administrative agencies," and "civil rights."
On average, staff attorneys earn a higher salary than assistant counsels. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, staff attorneys earn the most pay in the professional industry with an average salary of $113,835. Whereas assistant counsels have higher pay in the government industry, with an average salary of $70,495.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Staff attorneys tend to reach similar levels of education than assistant counsels. In fact, they're 3.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.6% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for assistant counsels in the next 3-5 years?
Lesley Casarez Ph.D.
Director, Quality Enhancement Plan Program Coordinator, M.S. Professional School Counseling Associate Professor, Curriculum and Instruction, Angelo State University
Assistant counsel vs. Attorney at law
An Attorney at Law is responsible for preparing and examining contracts involving leases, licenses, purchases, sales, etc. They advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, or legal rights and obligations.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from assistant counsel resumes include skills like "strong work ethic," "excellent organizational," "mental health," and "human resources," whereas an attorney at law is more likely to list skills in "law firm," "juris," "real estate transactions," and "trial preparation. "
Attorneys at law earn the highest salary when working in the retail industry, where they receive an average salary of $120,546. Comparatively, assistant counsels have the highest earning potential in the government industry, with an average salary of $70,495.attorneys at law typically earn similar educational levels compared to assistant counsels. Specifically, they're 1.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 34.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Assistant counsel vs. Attorney
Generally, an attorney's responsibility is to advise the client with an ongoing lawsuit on the legal procedures and provide strategies to resolve the case as early as possible. An attorney compiles necessary documents or any records for appeal and client's defense. Attorneys must acquire strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills to mediate disputes and settle pending litigation for the client's best interest. In some cases, an attorney's procedure depends on any evidence and research presented during the trial period. An attorney is expected to present clients on legal proceedings, seeking justice and justifying the law.
Types of assistant counsel
Updated January 8, 2025
