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You want to be a legal assistant. And yet, you don’t have experience. You are wondering how to become a legal assistant with no experience. We are here to help. In this post, we explain the steps to take to become a legal assistant if you don’t have experience and what you need to excel in the profession.
The Role of a Legal Assistant
Before we get to “How to become a legal assistant with no experience?” let’s talk about the role first. A legal assistant plays an important role in supporting the work of legal professionals.
While a legal assistant position doesn’t require formal education beyond high school, it is not an easy job to pull off. Legal assistants must be able to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
As a legal assistant, you will work with legal documents. As such, strong attention to detail is necessary. In addition, legal assistants often work on multiple cases simultaneously. Having time management and organizational skills will help a lot.
Good understanding of legal terminology and procedures is necessary as well. This is why a lot of legal assistant positions require some level of training or formal education. With the right skills and education, you can build a rewarding career as a legal assistant.
Qualifications and Requirements to Become a Legal Assistant
A legal assistant position doesn’t require formal education beyond high school. That said, having at least a two-year associate’s degree will make give you an edge in the competitive job market. Most employers that are hiring legal assistants look for candidates with such a degree.
If you don’t have an associate degree, a paralegal certificate can be a good alternative. While you may not have a degree, the certificate indicates that you have education and experience to be a legal assistant position.
Completing an internship or having relevant work experience can also make you more competitive as well. Strong communication and writing skills are necessary. So is a good understanding of legal terminology and procedures.
How to Become a Legal Assistant with No Experience
How to get a job as a legal assistant if you have no experience? Here are a few things that will help you get the position.
1. Prepare your resume
First and foremost, prepare your resume. Job hunting can be intense and harsh. Especially so if you are new in the market. You might not feel confident while writing your first resume. Don’t worry.
Everyone has attractive and appropriate abilities for practically any entry-level position. We develop them in almost everything we do. From education to training to self-study to hobbies, we are continually developing skills and abilities to draw from.
It is how you feature your skills and abilities on your resume that gets you in for an interview. So, just relax, take your time, and prepare your resume. Most legal assistants come for a job with little to no experience at all.
2. Find the best legal firms to start
It is important to find the best legal firm to work for. The good news is, there are several ways to find legal firms. For example, you can search them online using search engines. Learn about the firms and find out whether they have an opening for a legal assistant.
You can also visit the career service of your law school. A career service will help you with finding jobs. So, don’t hesitate to ask them about new jobs and the legal firms. The career service will help you learn which law offices are good and hiring legal assistants with no experience.
Going through law-related websites may help you find the best legal firms. For example, the websites of the National Association for Law Placement (NALP), Lawyerist, FindLaw, and so on.
3. Volunteer
How to become a legal assistant with no experience? Try volunteering. Taking a part as a volunteer can help you get the job. You can work as an intern or work part-time for a short period.
It is an excellent way to earn hands-on experience to start your career. In addition, you can join the fellowship programs as well.
When you are volunteering, you will gain knowledge and skills that a law degree may not give you. What’s more, when you volunteer you have the opportunity to get practical experiences.
So if you want to be a legal assistant and have no experience yet, consider volunteering. It allows you to learn about the procedures needed to start your career as a legal assistant.
4. Learn required skills
If you have no experience to apply for a legal assistant job, you should learn and develop the skills required. Like any other profession, legal assistant requires a combination of technical and soft skills.
Many technical skills, such as document management, video conferences, preparing presentations, and others, will be helpful throughout your career as a legal assistant. Knowledge of the latest legal software is necessary, too.
What matters most is the skills you have. Learn and develop your skills. It will help you get a legal assistant job and succeed in your career.
What You Need to Excel as a Legal Assistant
The following are what you need to excel as a legal assistant
1. Writing
Your work as a legal assistant will involve editing and drafting documents. If you want to excel, you need to not only have a firm grasp of the English language but also be a proficient writer.
2. Detail-oriented
Attention to detail is crucial in this area of practice. Having good attention to detail will help with accuracy in your documentation and organization.
3. Interpersonal skills
As you are dealing with people every day, you will need effective interpersonal skills.
4. Multi-tasking
Legal assistants typically have a lot on their plate. That is why having the ability to multi-task will help you excel as a legal assistant.
5. Technical skills
Some technical skills to work on computers, create presentations and videos are important, too.
Becoming a legal assistant with no experience can be difficult, but it is doable. Now that you know how to become a legal assistant with no experience, you can start preparing what is necessary.
