If you are fascinated by and want to work in the legal field, but do not want to be involved in the actual technicalities of the law, then perhaps becoming a legal assistant is the best way. As a senior legal assistant, you will serve the purpose of undertaking broader tasks at a law firm.
Some of the duties and responsibilities that you will be performing in this capacity are investigating case facts to ensure all relevant information is correct, organizing and compiling information, developing written statements, securing affidavits, supporting attorneys during trials, drafting legal arguments for trials, maintaining financial records, and managing other law office staff. Essential skills required include interpersonal, attention to detail, communication, and teamwork.
A high school diploma or a GED may suffice for the educational requirements for this position. However, having a diploma or a certification as a legal assistant, along with work experience of over three years, would prove advantageous. The average hourly pay for this position is $28.25, which amounts to an average of $58,763 annually. This career is also projected to grow and create new opportunities across the United States in the near future.
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a senior legal assistant. For example, did you know that they make an average of $24.58 an hour? That's $51,125 a year!
Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 12% and produce 39,000 job opportunities across the U.S.
There are certain skills that many senior legal assistants have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed communication skills, computer skills and research skills.
If you're interested in becoming a senior legal assistant, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 54.9% of senior legal assistants have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 6.1% of senior legal assistants have master's degrees. Even though most senior legal assistants have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Choosing the right major is always an important step when researching how to become a senior legal assistant. When we researched the most common majors for a senior legal assistant, we found that they most commonly earn bachelor's degree degrees or associate degree degrees. Other degrees that we often see on senior legal assistant resumes include master's degree degrees or high school diploma degrees.
You may find that experience in other jobs will help you become a senior legal assistant. In fact, many senior legal assistant jobs require experience in a role such as legal assistant. Meanwhile, many senior legal assistants also have previous career experience in roles such as legal secretary or paralegal.