Free template
Legal assistant job description
A ready-to-use job description for a legal assistant: what the job covers, who to look for, how to measure it and what to ask in the interview. Copy it, fill in the bracketed parts and post it.
The template
Legal assistant
[Firm name] is hiring a legal assistant to take the administrative load off our attorneys and paralegals: calendars, correspondence, documents and data.
What you will do
- Manage attorney calendars and schedule meetings, depositions and appointments.
- Triage shared inboxes and send routine letters and emails from our templates.
- Prepare, format and save documents in [document system], following our naming rules.
- Enter and update case data, contacts and deadlines in our systems.
- Handle scanned mail, e-signatures and document requests.
- [Prepare billing entries and invoices for review]
- Keep a running task list for each attorney you support.
What you bring
- [One to two] years as a legal assistant, legal secretary or executive assistant
- Excellent written English and close attention to detail
- Daily use of [Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace]
- Experience with a case management system
- Discretion with confidential documents
Nice to have
- Experience with [your systems, such as Clio, MyCase, NetDocuments or DocuSign]
- [Spanish and English]
Schedule and pay
[Full-time or part-time], [days, hours and time zone], [in office, hybrid or remote]. Pay: [range], plus [benefits].
How to apply
[How to apply, and what to include]
Text in brackets is yours to fill in or delete.
How to measure the role
Agree on targets with the attorney who oversees the work, and review them weekly for the first 90 days.
- Calendar errors and double bookings
- How quickly the shared inbox is answered
- Document turnaround
- Accuracy of data entered
- Attorney hours freed, in the attorneys’ own estimate
Interview questions
Include at least one work sample. It shows more in ten minutes than an hour of conversation.
1Two attorneys want the same deposition slot. What do you do?
Listen for: They check priorities with the attorneys rather than choosing for them, then confirm everyone.
2Format this document to our template.
Listen for: A work sample: styles, numbering and naming all match.
3How do you keep a shared inbox under control?
Listen for: Folders or labels, templates for common replies and a daily zero-inbox routine.
4Tell me about a mistake you caught before it went out.
Listen for: A specific example and the check they now use to catch it.
5How do you handle confidential documents?
Listen for: Only in firm systems, nothing on personal accounts or devices, and access only to what the job needs.
Questions
What does a legal assistant earn?
BLS groups legal assistants with paralegals, but the administrative work in this template is closer to its legal secretaries and administrative assistants category, which had a median of $55,570 a year in the United States and $62,860 in California in 2025 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). With benefits and payroll costs, the U.S. median comes to about $6,615 a month.
Can I use this template as it is?
Yes. Fill in the bracketed parts, remove any that don’t apply, and check it against your state’s employment rules before you post it.
Can I hire a remote legal assistant instead?
Yes. A dedicated remote legal assistant from Legal Staffing Pros is $2,395 a month, full-time, recruited, paid and managed by us, with no setup fee. You interview the shortlist and choose.
Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025 data (via O*NET OnLine), Legal secretaries and administrative assistants (43-6012). Benefits and payroll costs: wages and salaries were 70.0% of private employers’ compensation costs in June 2026 (BLS), so monthly cost = annual pay ÷ 0.70 ÷ 12.
More templates: legal intake specialist, case manager, paralegal, legal receptionist.
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