20 tasks, each one witnessed by the sources that watched the job — and behind every one, a prompt you can use tonight.
You’ll start by checking Microsoft Outlook and Google Workspace for client emails and court deadlines, then return calls and schedule meetings. Expect to draft or revise documents in Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat, prepare court filings, and pull research from statutes or case law.
Afternoons often mean meeting lawyers to prep cases, calling witnesses, handling evidence, and updating SharePoint or local folders. You may also run invoices in QuickBooks or Excel and finish by summarizing case notes for the legal team.
Focus on Microsoft Word, Outlook, and Adobe Acrobat first. Word is used for most pleadings and contracts; Acrobat for PDFs and e-filing; Outlook for client and court communications. Employers expect solid skills editing documents, converting to PDF, and tracking email threads.
Next learn Excel for simple billing and QuickBooks for invoicing. SharePoint or Google Workspace skills help with document storage and team collaboration. Mention these on your resume.
Do not paste client names, case facts, or confidential documents into public AI chat tools. Use AI for drafting neutral templates, rewriting plain-language summaries, or generating checklists, then carefully edit in Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat.
Always check your firm’s rules and any court rules about AI. Keep original evidence and legal research files in SharePoint or a secure drive; treat AI output as a starting point, not legal advice.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), about 392,880 people were employed as paralegals; the median pay was $62,890 per year. The lowest tenth earned about $44,740 and the top tenth about $101,500 per year (BLS).
Pay varies by location, employer size, and specialty—real estate or corporate paralegals often earn more. BLS is the source for these numbers.
Take courses in English, government, and computer applications (Word, Excel, Outlook). Practice writing clear documents and learn to manage files in Google Workspace or SharePoint. Volunteer or intern at a local law office or legal clinic to see court filings and case prep up close.
Study legal research basics and get comfortable with Adobe Acrobat for PDFs. Consider a paralegal certificate program after high school to learn drafting, contracts, and evidence handling.
A paralegal performs substantive legal tasks: legal research, drafting pleadings and contracts, preparing court filings, and helping with case preparation. Paralegals may investigate facts, handle evidence, and prepare legal summaries for attorneys.
A legal secretary focuses on administrative work: answering phones, scheduling meetings, typing correspondence, and managing office supplies. Both use Word, Outlook, and Acrobat, but paralegals do more legal analysis and document drafting.
Attention to detail in drafting and revising legal documents using Microsoft Word and Acrobat is crucial—errors in pleadings or contracts can cause missed deadlines or rejected filings. A great paralegal knows formatting, numbering, and citation conventions and proofreads carefully.
Also strong legal research and summarizing skills matter: using statutes and case law to prepare concise reports, then organizing those reports in SharePoint or Google Workspace so the legal team can act quickly.