What a legal assistant does
A legal assistant manages the administrative side of a lawyer's practice. They maintain calendars and appointments, prepare and format correspondence and documents, open and close files, handle client calls and emails, coordinate meetings and support billing. In some firms the role overlaps with law clerk work; in others it is primarily administrative. A capable legal assistant means a lawyer spends less time on scheduling and paperwork and more time on billable work and clients.
Legal assistants must work quickly without sacrificing accuracy, often for more than one lawyer at a time. Finch screens candidates for typing and formatting skill, comfort with legal terminology and software, and experience supporting lawyers in your practice area. We also check how they handle confidential information and competing priorities, since a legal assistant is frequently the person a client speaks to first and the one who keeps urgent items from slipping.
Typical responsibilities
- Manage lawyers' calendars, appointments and deadlines
- Prepare, format and proofread correspondence, agreements and court documents
- Open, maintain and close client files in the firm's practice management system
- Answer client calls and emails and provide routine updates
- Coordinate client meetings, commissioning and signing appointments
- Prepare accounts and support docketing and billing
Qualifications and credentials
- A legal assistant or legal office administration diploma, or equivalent law office experience
- Fast, accurate typing and strong document formatting skills
- Familiarity with legal terminology and common documents in the relevant practice area
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and legal practice management software
- A professional phone and email manner with clients
Who hires a legal assistant
- Law firms of all sizes
- Corporate legal departments
- Real estate, family and immigration law practices
- Government and public sector legal offices
Where we recruit legal assistant candidates
We fill legal assistant roles for employers across Toronto and the GTA, including North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Burlington, Oshawa and Pickering, and for employers across Canada. GTA employers can meet us at our North York office by appointment.
What Finch checks before you meet a candidate
- Experience supporting lawyers in your practice area, and how many lawyers they assisted at once
- Typing, formatting and proofreading accuracy
- Knowledge of the software and systems your office uses
- Client service skills and composure with demanding callers
- Confidentiality, confirmed through references
Interview questions to ask
- How do you prioritize when two lawyers need urgent work from you at the same time?
- Walk me through how you open a new client file at your current or last firm.
- Tell me about a time a client was upset on the phone. How did you handle it?