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What does an Executive Legal Assistant do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read
What does an Executive Legal Assistant do

An Executive Legal Assistant provides comprehensive support to lawyers and legal offices. They start as entry-level assistants before specializing in a field after a few years with experience; litigation, criminal law, family law, international law. Their duties include performing legal research by gathering case information for presentation, writing legal reports based on research and interviews, scheduling meetings, organizing travel arrangements, and organizing documentation for easy accessibility. An Executive Legal Assistant must be well organized, analytical research skills, and experience in case management. They typically spend long work hours spent in libraries and offices, requiring occasional travel.

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Executive legal assistant responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real executive legal assistant resumes:

  • Manage transactions involving the sale or purchase of publicly trade securities, both equity and debt instruments.
  • Manage litigation discovery process, including coordinating electronic and tangible document production, as well as litigation record hold obligations.
  • Provide administrative support to attorneys with mergers and acquisitions and due diligence procedures.
  • Prepare legal documents, assist clients with their legal needs, notary, general office duties
  • Complete & record minutes of meetings, using a variety of shorthand, or machine transcription.
  • Provide notary assistance as requested.
  • Proofread documents for grammatical and typographical errors.
  • Proofread and edit material for grammatical and factual accuracy.
  • Handle QuickBooks information, which include recording and maintaining accurate accounts.
  • Work on PowerPoint creating presentations and proposals utilizing company templates for meetings.
  • Respond to general inquiries and produce information responsive to subpoenas and court orders.
  • Respond to litigation discovery and handle request for production of document and interrogatories.
  • Prioritize and organize time sensitive projects, including transcription of in-house client proceedings.
  • Facilitate domestic and cross-border transactions including mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures.
  • Prepare and coordinate meeting agendas, minutes and PowerPoint presentations for various executive level meetings.

Executive legal assistant skills and personality traits

We calculated that 11% of Executive Legal Assistants are proficient in PowerPoint, Expense Reports, and Litigation. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Computer skills, and Research skills.

We break down the percentage of Executive Legal Assistants that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • PowerPoint, 11%

    Prepare PowerPoint Presentations for speeches and upcoming seminars, ensuring topic conveyed accurately and professionally.

  • Expense Reports, 9%

    Coordinate and manage domestic and international travel arrangements, prepare travel itineraries, and prepare/submit expense reports as needed.

  • Litigation, 9%

    General administrative responsibilities, maintained legal files including litigation files, employee contracts, confidentiality agreements, and other confidential/privileged documentation.

  • Law Firm, 7%

    Reviewed and tracked received prosecution related communication from law firms or patent office relating to patent estate applications.

  • Real Estate, 5%

    Created cost analysis reports and generated requisition for monthly bank transactions regarding commercial real estate projects.

  • Calendar Management, 4%

    General administrative duties including minutes, reports, research, calendar management, correspondence and document preparation.

Most executive legal assistants use their skills in "powerpoint," "expense reports," and "litigation" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential executive legal assistant responsibilities here:

Communication skills. One of the key soft skills for an executive legal assistant to have is communication skills. You can see how this relates to what executive legal assistants do because "paralegals must be able to document and present their research and related information to their supervising attorney." Additionally, an executive legal assistant resume shows how executive legal assistants use communication skills: "provided assistance to two partners in litigation practice of class actions of railroad abandonment and telecommunications. "

Computer skills. Another essential skill to perform executive legal assistant duties is computer skills. Executive legal assistants responsibilities require that "paralegals need to be familiar with using computers for legal research and litigation support." Executive legal assistants also use computer skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "identified, composed, and prepared legal documents and typed correspondence utilizing word perfect word processing computer program. "

Research skills. executive legal assistants are also known for research skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to executive legal assistant responsibilities, because "paralegals gather facts of the case and research information on relevant laws and regulations to prepare drafts of legal documents for attorneys and help them prepare for a case." An executive legal assistant resume example shows how research skills is used in the workplace: "initiated and independently researched complex information requests, summarized data for reports and prepared the materials for litigation. "

Interpersonal skills. A big part of what executive legal assistants do relies on "interpersonal skills." You can see how essential it is to executive legal assistant responsibilities because "paralegals spend most of their time working with clients and other professionals and must be able to develop good relationships." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical executive legal assistant tasks: "demonstrated outstanding interpersonal skills in answering, relaying, screening, and placing telephone calls. "

Organizational skills. Another common skill required for executive legal assistant responsibilities is "organizational skills." This skill comes up in the duties of executive legal assistants all the time, as "paralegals may be responsible for many cases at one time." An excerpt from a real executive legal assistant resume shows how this skill is central to what an executive legal assistant does: "performed legal research and organizational tasks, booked travel for mr. hankes and ran the office in his absence. "

See the full list of executive legal assistant skills

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Compare different executive legal assistants

Executive legal assistant vs. Paralegal

Paralegals are law firm or legal department employees who work on cases with lawyers. They handle different activities, usually administrative or clerical, such as organizing and maintaining files, updating records, and managing correspondences, among others. Paralegals also handle different activities directly related to active cases being worked on by lawyers in the firm or department. They assist lawyers on cases by preparing materials needed for trials, conducting legal research, verifying trial facts, helping during interviews, getting statements from those involved in the case, and creating presentation materials. Paralegals should have knowledge of laws and should be familiar with landmark cases.

If we compare the average executive legal assistant annual salary with that of a paralegal, we find that paralegals typically earn a $3,499 lower salary than executive legal assistants make annually.Even though executive legal assistants and paralegals are distinct careers, a few of the skills required for both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require powerpoint, litigation, and law firm in the day-to-day roles and responsibilities.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between executive legal assistants and paralegal. For instance, executive legal assistant responsibilities require skills such as "expense reports," "real estate," "calendar management," and "administrative tasks." Whereas a paralegal is skilled in "discovery responses," "affidavits," "real estate closings," and "litigation support." This is part of what separates the two careers.

Paralegals really shine in the professional industry with an average salary of $55,416. Comparatively, executive legal assistants tend to make the most money in the telecommunication industry with an average salary of $64,232.paralegals tend to reach similar levels of education than executive legal assistants. In fact, paralegals are 1.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 2.1% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Executive legal assistant vs. Contractor-paralegal

A Contractor-Paralegal works for a law firm or corporate legal department for a specified amount of time, or for a specified task. They can be specialized in the entertainment industry or in providing services to healthcare companies and insurance providers.

On average, contractor-paralegals earn a $7,244 higher salary than executive legal assistants a year.A few skills overlap for executive legal assistants and contractor-paralegals. Resumes from both professions show that the duties of each career rely on skills like "powerpoint," "litigation," and "law firm. "

Each career also uses different skills, according to real executive legal assistant resumes. While executive legal assistant responsibilities can utilize skills like "expense reports," "calendar management," "administrative tasks," and "word processing," contractor-paralegals use skills like "discovery responses," "in-house counsel," "contract database," and "contract review."

On average, contractor-paralegals earn a higher salary than executive legal assistants. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, contractor-paralegals earn the most pay in the finance industry with an average salary of $79,049. Whereas executive legal assistants have higher pay in the telecommunication industry, with an average salary of $64,232.In general, contractor-paralegals achieve similar levels of education than executive legal assistants. They're 0.2% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 2.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Executive legal assistant vs. Litigation paralegal

A litigation paralegal is a specialist who is responsible for assisting attorneys throughout the trial process. On the plaintiff side, litigation paralegals conduct initial client interviews and legal research for case preparations. They assist with the preliminary examinations of witnesses and jury selection in the courtroom. Litigation paralegals often assist attorneys with case settlements and help identify issues for appeals. They must also possess excellent skills in verbal and written communication and should have great attention in detail.

On average scale, litigation paralegals bring in higher salaries than executive legal assistants. In fact, they earn a $5,042 higher salary per year.executive legal assistants and litigation paralegals both have job responsibilities that require similar skill sets. These similarities include skills such as "powerpoint," "litigation," and "law firm," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, an executive legal assistant is likely to be skilled in "expense reports," "calendar management," "administrative tasks," and "word processing," while a typical litigation paralegal is skilled in "discovery responses," "mediation," "excellent organizational," and "affidavits."

Litigation paralegals make a very good living in the professional industry with an average annual salary of $64,050. On the other hand, executive legal assistants are paid the highest salary in the telecommunication industry, with average annual pay of $64,232.litigation paralegals typically earn similar educational levels compared to executive legal assistants. Specifically, they're 0.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 2.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Executive legal assistant vs. Corporate paralegal

A Corporate Paralegal helps attorneys gather information and materials in preparation for different kinds of cases, hearings, or meetings. They also work in the legal departments of large corporations and for government agencies.

Corporate paralegals tend to earn a higher pay than executive legal assistants by an average of $14,073 per year.According to resumes from executive legal assistants and corporate paralegals, some of the skills necessary to complete the responsibilities of each role are similar. These skills include "litigation," "legal research," and "sharepoint. "Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. An executive legal assistant uses "powerpoint," "expense reports," "law firm," and "real estate." Corporate paralegals are more likely to have duties that require skills in "corporate governance," "mergers," "securities," and "excellent organizational. "In general, corporate paralegals earn the most working in the finance industry, with an average salary of $76,737. The highest-paying industry for an executive legal assistant is the telecommunication industry.In general, corporate paralegals hold similar degree levels compared to executive legal assistants. Corporate paralegals are 1.0% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 2.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.