Legal Assistant

Behind every great lawyer is a great legal assistant.

About

Legal assistants are legal professionals who work alongside a lawyer or attorney. Their responsibilities include writing the initial draft of the documents, updating files, conducting research, and maintaining legal documents. A legal assistant's role also includes developing case information, evidence, and settlement options to help a lawyer be more effective. A legal assistant keeps track of cases so that the attorney can assist him or her in court.

An aspirant needs to be well qualified and have in-depth knowledge of the various skills required to provide legal services to the clients. They organise and maintain legal files, including paper and electronic files. Legal assistants play a critical role in the operation of a law firm and help to ensure that cases are handled efficiently and effectively. The level of responsibility and scope of duties for a legal assistant may vary depending on their experience, education, and the size and type of law firm they work for.

Eligibility

For Bachelor’s

  • You can enrol in a 3-year LLB degree programme or a 5-year integrated LLB degree programme.
  • The aspirants must receive at least a 50% overall grade in their 10+2 from an accredited board or institution.

For Masters

  • After finishing your law degree programme, it is advised that you submit an application for a masters.
  • In order to pursue higher education, candidates must enrol in an accredited college or institution's LLM programme.

For Diploma

  • The aspirants can enrol in diploma or any other certification course to enhance his career by becoming a legal assistant. 

Job Roles

There are variety of job roles for legal assistant depending on the educational qualification and work experience:  

  • Legal Assistant
  • Paralegal
  • Notary Public
  • Oath Commissioner
  • Lawyer
  • Legal Advisor
  • Legal Officer
  • Law Inspector

Employment Sector Jobs

The following employment sectors or industries are the top firms that hire legal assistant based on their knowledge and experience:

  • Corporate Businesses
  • Law Firms
  • Consulting Firms
  • Political Parties
  • MNCs
  • Media and Entertainment Houses
  • Information Technology Companies 
  • Engineering Firms
  • Finance Companies
  • Universities and Colleges

Top Recruiters

To draft the necessary documents and for other required legal services, many businesses use legal assistants. The top recruiters for legal assistants include the ones listed below:

  • Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co.
  • Khaitan & Co.
  • Luthra & Luthra Law Offices
  • AZB & Partners
  • J. Sagar Associates (JSA)
  • Trilegal
  • Economic Laws Practice (ELP)
  • Wadia Ghandy & Co.
  • Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas
  • Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co..

Salary

The salary of a legal assistant in India varies depending on factors including education qualifications, work experience and training period. 

 

Entry-level Legal Assistant

Approx Rs 1 lakhs to 2 lakhs per annum

Senior Legal Assistant

Approx Rs 4 lakhs - 5 lakhs per annum

Top-level Legal Assistant

Approx Rs 6 lakhs - 10 lakhs per annum

 

Scope

The scope for legal assistants or paralegals is broad and expanding. Some of the factors contributing to the growing scope for legal assistants include:

  • Increased efficiency
  • Cost savings
  • Specialist skills
  • Growing demand for legal services
  • Versatile career path

Benefits

Some benefits of working as a legal assistant include:

  • Career growth opportunities
  • Varied work
  • Job stability 
  • Good pay 
  • Learning and development
  • Supportive work environment

Drawbacks

Some drawbacks of working as a legal assistant include:

  • Long Working hours
  • High stress
  • Repetitive tasks
  • Limited advancement opportunities 
  • Low job autonomy 
  • Limited job mobility