Hire Legal Assistance Freelancers in January 2025

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Virtual Assistants

Legal Assistance

Find legal assistants to review, analyze and prepare legal documents and contracts with factual research, provide administrative support in grievance procedures. Find Legal Assistance WFH freelancers on January 21, 2025 who work remotely. Read less

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IP / Copyright Law

Employment Law

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Civil Law

Civil Litigation

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Banking Law

Legal Documents

Tax Law

Paralegal

Insurance Law

Personal Injury Law

Legal Transcription

Employment Contracts

Business Formation

Bankruptcy

Securities Law

Real Estate Law

Immigration Law

Criminal Law

Corporate Law

Mediation / Negotiation

Patents

Trademark Consulting

Licensing / Franchising

Professional assistance with Intellectual Property (IP) rights including issues from

IP / Copyright Law

Professional legal help with Workers' Compensation Law for delivery of

Employment Law

Contracts

Find professional help with drafting letters and essays on subject

Legal Writing

Find legal help on matters of Civil Procedure which concern

Civil Law

Find U.S. legal experts who can help you navigate pleadings,

Civil Litigation

Professional legal assistance to research legal concepts and issues, in

Legal Research

Professional legal help understanding law around banking and financial regulations

Banking Law

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Top Frequently Asked Questions

Legal assistants FAQ

What kinds of tasks are assigned to online legal assistants?

Online legal assistants, also known as virtual legal assistants, are assigned a range of tasks that support attorneys and legal teams remotely. Here are some of the key tasks typically assigned to them:

Administrative Support

Scheduling:
Managing calendars for attorneys, scheduling meetings, depositions, court dates, and client consultations.
Coordinating with other parties for scheduling, such as witnesses or opposing counsel.

Client Communication:
Handling client calls, emails, and live chats, providing basic information or directing clients to the appropriate attorney or resource.
Sending out reminders for upcoming meetings or deadlines.

Document Management:
Organizing, scanning, and filing documents in digital systems or cloud storage.
Maintaining case files, ensuring they are up-to-date and accessible.

Data Entry:
Entering case data into legal software or databases.
Updating client information, case status, or billing records.

Legal Research and Preparation

Legal Research:
Conducting research on laws, regulations, case law, and legal precedents using online databases like Westlaw or LexisNexis.
Summarizing research findings for attorneys to review.

Document Drafting:
Drafting basic legal documents such as letters, motions, pleadings, or discovery requests under attorney supervision.
Proofreading and formatting legal documents for clarity and compliance.

Case Preparation:
Preparing case binders, organizing evidence, and creating summaries or timelines of events for cases.
Assisting in the preparation for depositions, hearings, or trials by compiling necessary documents.

Compliance and Filing

Court Filings:
Preparing and filing court documents through e-filing systems.
Monitoring deadlines for court filings and ensuring timely submission.

Regulatory Compliance:
Ensuring that all activities comply with state and federal regulations regarding legal documentation and communication.
Keeping up with changes in legal practices or software compliance.

Financial and Billing

Billing:
Tracking billable hours for attorneys if required.
Preparing invoices for clients, managing accounts receivable.

Expense Management:
Tracking and categorizing legal expenses, possibly assisting with budget management for cases.

Project Management

Task Management:
Using project management tools to track tasks, deadlines, and progress of legal projects or cases.
Coordinating with other staff members or external parties to ensure project milestones are met.

Workflow Optimization:
Suggesting or implementing improvements in office workflow or document management systems.

Specialized Tasks

Intellectual Property Services:
For firms specializing in IP, managing trademark or patent application processes, renewals, or monitoring.

Real Estate Support:
Assisting with title searches, document preparation for closings, or managing real estate transaction records.

Litigation Support:
Preparing trial exhibits, coordinating with experts, or managing large document productions for discovery.

Technology and Digital Tools

Software Proficiency:
Mastery of legal tech tools, including document management, e-discovery platforms, and case management systems.

Remote Collaboration:
Ensuring effective communication and collaboration through digital means, including video conferences, shared documents, and task management apps.

Online legal assistants must be adept at multitasking, have a keen eye for detail, and maintain confidentiality. Their role is crucial for keeping law firms running efficiently, allowing attorneys to focus more on legal strategy and client interaction rather than administrative details. While they do not provide legal advice, their support functions are essential to the legal process.

While good legal assistants in any legal arena will need proofreading and research skills including electronic research using Westlaw, LexisNexis (https://www.lexisnexis.com/en-us/law-firms/paralegals-and-legal-assistants.page), Bloomberg, SEC Edgar, PACER and/or CourtLink, and experience with e-discovery platforms such as Relativity, actual tasks will heavily depends on the type of legal work required from Personal Injury, Immigration law and Intellectual Property to Litigation or Criminal law firms to Private Fund specialists.

For example, a paralegal at an immigration law firm could be tasked with jobs ranging from independently eFiling documents in accordance with the federal and states court rules to preparing US employment-based, NIV and IV visa filings to US Dept. of Labor, USCIS, DOS, and CBP and reviewing green card eligibility in the EB-1, EB-2 or EB-3 preference category and H-1B, L-1A, L-1B, E-3, TN qualifications to preparing U.S. nonimmigrant filings.

Legal assistants to criminal law firms may be organizing trial notebooks, drafting trial exhibit and witness lists, working with ADAs (Assistant District Attorneys) to ensure timely submission of court notes, and organizing information in the Court Event Entry Program (CEE) to update internal case tracking system with real time court adjournments, pleas, defense attorney changes, and sentencing information.

Legal secretaries at litigation firms may be cite check, bluebooking and Shepardize / Keycite memoranda of law and briefs (https://libguides.law.ucla.edu/citechecking) as well as assisting with all phrases of discovery including: collect, organize, and review client documents; prepare document productions; redact document productions; review and organize incoming document productions; summarize document productions; draft privilege logs; prepare deposition preparation binders; manage pre- and post-deposition logistics; and summarize deposition testimony.

Private fund firms may be assisting attorneys in all stages of private funds, from fund formation and the closing process to private fund portfolio investments and transactions; compliance and investment activities for private funds clients and their investors.

What qualifications does an online legal assistant or paralegal need?

The qualifications for an online legal assistant or paralegal can vary depending on the employer, the complexity of the work, and the jurisdiction. However, here are some common and recommended qualifications:

Educational Qualifications:

Formal Education:

Associate's or Bachelor's Degree: Preferably in Paralegal Studies, Legal Studies, or a related field. Some positions might require or prefer a bachelor's degree.
Certificate Programs: Many paralegals start with a certificate from an ABA-approved paralegal program which can be completed in less time than a degree.
Paralegal Certification:
While not always mandatory, certifications can be advantageous:
Certified Paralegal (CP) by the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA).
Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE) through NALA.
Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) or Certified Paralegal (CP) from the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA).
American Alliance of Paralegals, Inc. (AAPI) Certification.

Skills and Competencies:

Legal Knowledge:
Understanding of legal terminology, procedures, and the ability to apply legal principles to practical situations.
Research Skills:
Proficiency in legal research techniques and familiarity with legal research tools like Westlaw, LexisNexis, or Fastcase.
Writing and Drafting:
Excellent written communication skills for drafting legal documents, correspondence, and research memos.

Technology Proficiency:

Comfort with various software including:
Legal Software: Case management systems (e.g., Clio, MyCase), e-filing systems, document management systems.
Microsoft Office or Google Suite: For document creation, spreadsheets, presentations.
Communication Tools: Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Slack for virtual meetings and collaboration.
Organizational Skills:
Ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize work, and maintain accurate records in a digital environment.
Attention to Detail:
Precision in handling legal documents, ensuring accuracy in data entry, and managing case details.

Experience:

Work Experience:
Prior experience in a legal environment, whether in a law firm, corporate legal department, government agency, or legal aid organization, is often highly valued. Experience can range from internships to full-time positions.
Remote Work Experience:
Since the role involves working online, experience with remote work, including virtual communication and collaboration tools, is beneficial.

Soft Skills:

Communication:
Strong verbal and written communication skills for client interactions, professional correspondence, and team collaboration.
Confidentiality:
Understanding of legal ethics, including client confidentiality and data protection.
Problem-Solving:
Ability to identify issues and propose or research solutions.
Time Management:
Effective at managing their own schedule and meeting deadlines in a remote environment.
Adaptability:
Flexibility to handle different legal areas or adapt to new legal technologies or changes in law.

Additional Qualifications:

Continuing Education:
Commitment to ongoing professional development through courses, webinars, or workshops to stay current with legal changes, technology, and best practices.
Typing Speed:
High typing speed and accuracy can be beneficial, especially for roles involving a lot of document creation or transcription.
Language Skills:
For firms dealing with international clients or operations in multilingual regions, proficiency in additional languages can be a plus.
Ethics:
Knowledge of and adherence to ethical standards in the legal profession, sometimes evidenced by passing an ethics exam or course.

While specific requirements can vary, the ideal online legal assistant or paralegal combines formal education with practical experience, supplemented by a set of well-honed skills tailored for remote work within the legal industry. Employers might also look at a candidate's portfolio or resume for evidence of successful projects or cases they've supported.

For discovery preparation to drafting correspondence (including copying, filing, faxing, archiving and dictation), document production and amendments including use of precedents; Outlook calendar maintenance and data maintenance for clients with strong multi-tasking, organizational and time management skills and proficiency with case management software is as important as strong familiarity with MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, OneNote, Teams, & PowerPoint) to handle highly sensitive, confidential and non-routine information. Must be able to manipulate electronic documents such as TIF, PDF and JPG formats, ideally with Paralegal Certification from an ABA-Certified program.

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