MightyRecruiterA good job description can make your task of finding the right individual to fill the open paralegal position at your organization an easy one. Although there is no lack of talent in the candidate pool for you to choose from, you want to put your best foot forward while writing your job description to ensure that you recruit the best qualified candidate. In order to avoid spending a great deal of time weeding through countless resumes, you need a Paralegal/Legal Assistant job description that speaks directly to the type of individual you want to hire. To aid you in this endeavor, below is a Paralegal/Legal Assistant sample job description for you to use.
Paralegal/Legal Assistant Summary
You’ll perform a variety of tasks to support the attorneys at the organization, such as file maintenance, legal research and scheduling meetings. You’ll also draft legal documents and work closely with attorneys and partners on a daily basis.
Paralegal/Legal Assistant Job Responsibilities and Duties:
- Ensure proper delivery of legal paperwork
- Draft legal correspondence and legal paperwork
- Transcribe meetings and court correspondence
- Maintain schedule of appointments, court dates and meetings
- Perform legal research
- Answer phones and greet clients
- Actively track all billable hours of attorneys
- Prepare legal bills and tax documents
- Document, file and manage court documents
- Manage travel arrangements
Paralegal/Legal Assistant Sample Skills & Qualifications
- Associate’s Degree
- Certificate in Paralegal Studies
- Very observant
- Meticulous attention to details
- Great organization skills
- Impeccable time management skills
- Above average written and verbal communication skills
Company Profile
Simon and Durks Manilla LLP was founded in 1998. We’re an established law firm that proudly serves the needs of its clients. We rely on our strong sense of ethics to be a source of legal guidance for individuals in need of litigation and estate planning. Our integrity, commitment and drive enable us to persevere in all of our legal endeavors, while proudly supporting the needs of clients in the local community.
Writing a Job Description Best Practices
- The above sample is an excellent source for you to refer to periodically when you are creating your job descriptions. However, there may be occasions when it is not available. For those occasions, we have created a brief list of best practices and some dos and don’ts for you to use as references when you are writing future Paralegal/Legal Assistant job descriptions. They can help you to save time and increase your chances of finding the best qualified candidate for the position.
- Do include the right title ad level for the job position you are recruiting for. This helps to keep you from having to look through the resumes of professionals who are not properly credentialed, experienced or qualified for the position.
- Do include a list of five to ten vital job duties that are to be performed daily. Be open and honest about how often each function needs to be done, and don’t forget to start each function with an action tense verb.
- Do include travel frequency and location information.
- Do state what kind of employment the position offers. If you are only interested in part-time help, make it known so you are not stuck interviewing professionals who are only interested in full-time work.
- Don’t forget to include contact information for the recruiter. Candidates need to know who they can contact with any questions they have about the position.
- Don’t forget to format or use some kind of structure for your job descriptions. The information needs to be presented in the right way to attract and engage job seekers. Use bullets when feasible and include direct, clear and concise language.
- Don’t write your job descriptions in a manner that makes them sound and appear like any other organization. Use this opportunity to highlight your organization so that it makes job seekers want to be included.
- Don’t forget to optimize with SEO for better results. This will help to put your job descriptions in front of the right individuals you want to hire.
The above Paralegal/Legal Assistant sample job description is a great example of how you want your future job postings to look like. By keeping your goal of hiring the most qualified individual for the job in mind while you are writing your job descriptions, you can give them a finesse that appeals to the right audience. Start making adjustments to your writing style now to increase your ROI.
Paralegal Job Responsibilities
Perhaps the most critical portion of any job posting is the job responsibilities section. This is the part of your paralegal job description that is most likely to either capture applicants or convince them to move on. Therefore, you must make sure that it is precisely crafted in an attractive and accurate way. However, it is important that you not overwhelm potential applicants with a laundry list of every detail of the position. Focus on the duties that translate into either success or failure for the position.
In this section of the paralegal job description, you are responsible for communicating the day-to-day duties and expectations of the position to jobseekers. The best way to do this so that nothing gets lost in translation is to use bullet points, no less than five and no more than 10. Make sure to focus on the most important duties first, but also feature exciting and important aspects of the job. Many job candidates rank work passion as a top priority when searching for a new job, so make it clear how this role is critical to the overall success of the company.
A few examples of paralegal job responsibilities are below:
- Assist a variety of attorneys with all phases of the litigation process
- Coordinate witness information during trials
- Research relevant laws and regulations as pertaining to corporate law
- Review and analyze case materials for information relevant to investigations
Paralegal Job Specifications
Another helpful step you can take in streamlining your hiring process is to write an excellent job qualifications and skills section of your paralegal job description. Think through what professional experience, technical expertise or personality traits are most necessary for success as a paralegal. When possible, work with a hiring manager or the direct report for the position to hone in on which skills and experience are most critical to the position.
This is another part of your paralegal job description that works best in bullet-point form. Once you have a list of the qualifications and skills you want to include, create two categories, one for requirements and one for preferred skills. Clarity about which qualifications are required versus preferred is critical to helping potential candidates know whether this job is the right fit for them. If you miscommunicate that preferred skills are actually required or vice versa, you risk having to sift through a pile resumes from both under- and overqualified candidates.
Below are several examples of possible paralegal job specifications:
- Extensive trial experience preferred
- Proven ability to work effectively independently as well as part of a team
- Knowledge of international corporate law required
- Current Secret or Top Secret government clearance a plus
