Los Angeles Mission College

Become a legal assistant at Los Angeles Mission College

The legal profession has articulated a call for personnel to merge some of the duties of the legal secretary with those of the attorney. These personnel are substantially trained in various aspects of the law, and operate under the supervision of the lawyer. This new vocation is the Legal Assistant, or Paralegal, who carries out duties which include legal research, client interviewing, preparation of briefs and other documents, conducting investigations, drafting wills and deeds, and researching tax matters.

Specific area that Legal Assistants specialize in include:

• probate
• torts
• family law
• personal injury
• insurance claims
• civil litigation
• real estate law

At one time, these tasks had to be performed by an attorney, as they were beyond the training of legal secretaries. According to a recent survey, a law office can save half of the cost of a simple incorporation by allowing a legal assistant to handle the task. An Associate of Arts Degree in Legal Assisting or an occupational certificate are options for the student. These courses are necessary for both career choices.