| Get that law-firm-gopher image out of your head. If you have doubts about the critical role of a legal assistant, remember Erin Brockovich. Well before Julia Roberts portrayed the now-famous legal assistant on the big screen, these trained professionals had been making their mark in the justice system. In fact, the legal assistant concept began to develop in the late 1960s, when law firms and individual attorneys sought ways to improve the cost-effective and efficient delivery of legal services. The growing volume of work due to increased public awareness of legal remedies was another factor in the development of the legal assistant field. Legal assistants must have a specialized understanding of the law and the legal system, but they do not need the extensive training required to become a lawyer. Legal assistants help lawyers prepare for hearings, closings, trials, and corporate meetings. As such, legal assistants work in many different areas of the law, such as personal injury, litigation, corporate law, real estate, criminal law, employee benefits, family law, bankruptcy, intellectual property, labor law, and immigration. Go ahead, become a legal assistant -- you may not get a movie made in your honor, but you'll still have the opportunity to make a difference in the justice system. |
