21 Key Attributes Paralegals And Legal Assistants Need To Succeed In Their Career

by Olivia Williams

Sunday, January 3, 2016

Paralegals and legal assistants assist lawyers by investigating facts, preparing legal documents, or researching legal precedent. Conduct research to support a legal proceeding, to formulate a defense, or to initiate legal action.

The core tasks that paralegals and legal assistants are likely to carry out include:

Prepare affidavits or other documents, such as legal correspondence, and organize and maintain documents in paper or electronic filing system.
Prepare for trial by performing tasks such as organizing exhibits.
Prepare legal documents, including briefs, pleadings, appeals, wills, contracts, and real estate closing statements.
Meet with clients and other professionals to discuss details of case.
File pleadings with court clerk.
Gather and analyze research data, such as statutes, decisions, and legal articles, codes, and documents.

In order to successfully forge ahead with their careers, analysts in a survey carried out by U.S. Department of Labor (via O*NET) have marked out the following as important attributes that paralegals and legal assistants would need. These attributes have been selected from characteristics and requirements strongly associated with the occupation. They are

Abilities: Enduring attributes of the individual that influence performance
Interests: Preferences for work environments. Occupational Interest Profiles (OIPs) are compatible with Holland's (1985, 1997) model of personality types and work environments. Six interest categories are used to describe the work environment of occupations: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. An OIP consists of six numerical scores indicating how descriptive and characteristic each work environment (or interest area) is for an occupation
Knowledge: Organized sets of principles and facts applying in general domains
Skills: These include basic skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate learning or the more rapid acquisition of knowledge. Plus cross-functional skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate performance of activities that occur across jobs
Style: Personal characteristics that can affect how well someone performs a job

We have listed out attributes which were scored 80% or more in terms of importance by the analysts.

Being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 98%

Being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 94%

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Attribute Type: Knowledge Score: 92.6%

Being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 91.8%

Being honest and ethical.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 91.4%

Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Attribute Type: Knowledge Score: 90%

A willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 87.8%

Developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 86.8%

Accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 86%

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 85%

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 85%

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 85%

Being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 84.2%

Persistence in the face of obstacles.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 83.8%

Maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 83.6%

Analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 82.2%

Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Attribute Type: Knowledge Score: 82.2%

Having a strong preference for conventional work environments. Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Attribute Type: Interests Score: 81%

Being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 80.2%

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Attribute Type: Skills Score: 80%

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 80%