Legal clerks perform various duties, including making sure that proper filing of case files and good record-keeping are done.
This post provides detailed information on the legal clerk job description, including the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they typically perform.
It also highlights the major requirements you would be expected to meet to be hired for the legal clerk role.
What Does a Legal Clerk Do?
A legal clerk, who is sometimes called a legal assistant or paralegal, plays an integral role in the legal team.
The most typical roles they perform are administrative and organizational activities carried out to support lawyers, judges, and other persons dealing with the law.
Beginning from the base of any legal practice, legal clerks ensure everything runs with fluency.
They usually directly report to attorneys, paralegals, or senior legal individuals within their organizations.
Much of their work is intensely supervised and rigidly guideline-driven by these legal professionals’ attendant to accuracy and principles of the law.
Legal clerks can be employed in a wide array of fields, including private and public law firms, corporate worksites, government agencies, courthouses, and non-profit organizations.
Whereas the education level for a legal clerk is not specific or rigid, most employers insist on a minimum Associate’s degree or certificate in paralegal studies.
Some would prefer somebody with a degree of Bachelor class, especially with disciplines in legal studies, justice, and any other related field.
Except for the minimum high school and equivalent diploma or GED required for formal education, most legal clerks are trained on the job to learn the specified legal procedures, software, and protocols of the associates.
Many states also require certification or licensing for legal clerks from such recognized associations like the National Association of Legal Assistants, NALA, or the National Federation of Paralegal Associations, NFPA.
Much of the legal clerk job description revolves around organizing and keeping case files and legal documents in order, doing legal research and preparing an analysis, drafting legal documents like contracts, pleadings, and correspondence.
It also includes delivering administrative support to attorneys and legal staff and coordinating the flow of information between clients, attorneys, and parties involved in legal proceedings.
The legal clerk duties also entail booking appointments, hearings, and depositions, and filing legal documents with courts and regulatory agencies.
They perform a host of tasks outside direct responsibilities, including helping prepare cases for trial, organizing and locating relevant evidence, reviewing and summarizing legal documents, maintaining databases and records of clients, performing some billing and invoicing, and making travel arrangements for legal staff.
The legal clerkship role is very significant in most countries, representing varied kinds of legal jurisdictions.
The nature of tasks, though slightly different in relation to local laws and rules, the main role will largely remain the same.
Since this involves supporting the legal tasks in countries with developed legal systems or heavy caseloads of legal processes, the number of highly competent legal clerks will normally be required in greater number.
Employers typically look out for legal clerks possessing strong organizational and time management skills; excellent written and verbal communication; attention to detail and accuracy; ability to use legal software and databases; multi-skilled with the ability to work under pressure; analytical and problem-solving skills; discretion and regard for maintaining confidentiality.
These directly regulate the legal profession at both the national and local levels, and legal clerks may have to follow in line with these regulations as enunciated by such agencies as the American Bar Association, state bar associations, such as The State Bar of California, and paralegal associations and professional organizations within their local jurisdictions.
Legal Clerk Example/Sample/Template
The legal clerk job description consists of the following duties, tasks, and responsibilities:
Maintain organized, current case files, including legal documents, correspondence, and evidence
Research laws using online databases or a law library and other resource facilities to support attorneys and other legal staff in the efficient performance of their duties
Under the attorney’s supervision, draft legal documents; this could include contracts, pleadings, motions, briefs, etc.
Proofread and review legal documents to ensure accuracy, completeness, and form compliance
File legal documents with courts, government agencies, and other appropriate parties
Write-up and organization of exhibits, exhibits, and other support materials for trials, hearings and depositions
Assist to attorneys in preparation of a trial by witness location, gathering, and organizational aspects for evidence, witnesses’ statements, and legal research
Maintain accurate and up-to-date the database of clients and their records
Arrange appointments, hearings, and depositions with clients, attorneys, and other parties having interest in the legal proceedings
Liaise with clients, attorneys, and other legal professionals for effective and efficient exchange of information and various documents
Perform administrative duties such as document management, data entry, and filing
Arrange and co-ordinate travel for attorneys and legal staff as may be required
Assist with preparation of invoices, billing, and maintaining proper payment records
Maintain a record of filings with courts, appearances in court, and all other important deadlines
Appears for court, hearings, and depositions to provide support to attorneys and to take all necessary notes
Maintain absolute confidentiality and ethical standards of professional practice
Stay updated with changing procedures, regulations, and computer software through continuing education, training, and workshops
Handles administrative tasks, such as photocopying, faxing, and correspondence management on behalf of attorneys and other legal professionals
Order court reporters, interpreters, and other legal support services
Assist in preparing evidence and exhibits for trials and hearings.
Legal Clerk Job Description for Resume
If you have worked before as a legal clerk or are presently working in that role and are making a new resume or CV, then you can apply the above legal clerk job description sample in making a compelling Professional Experience section for your resume.
You can effectively communicate the duties and responsibilities you have performed or are currently carrying out as a legal clerk in your resume’s Professional Experience by utilizing the ones presented in the job description example above.
This will show to the recruiter/employer that you’ve been successful performing the job of a legal clerk, which can enhance your chances of being hired for the new role that you are applying for, especially if it requires someone with some legal clerk work experience.
Legal Clerk Requirements: Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities for Career Success
To perform the role of a legal clerk effectively and deliver the expected results, possessing various skills, knowledge, and abilities is important, including:
Effective written and verbal communication skills
Good organizational and time management skills
Attention to detail and accuracy
Use of legal software and databases; for example, LexisNexis and Westlaw
Can work well with legal terminology, procedures, and protocol
Have analytical skills for legal research
Possess analytical and problem-solving skills, and ability to think critically
Able to perform legal document formatting and citation
Ability to multi-task and prioritize
Interpersonal Skills: collaboration and teamwork with other legal professionals
Possess strong attention to detail and ability to keep accurate record
Ability to work as individual and as a member of a team
Bring excellent customer service and client-facing skills
Have basic knowledge of billing and invoicing procedures
Commitment to learning: learning continuously and seeking professional development.
Legal Clerk Employment
According to employment survey data on Zippia, there are 164,816 legal clerks employed in United States as of May 2022.
The top company types and industries employing legal clerks are:
Company Types:
Government (Local, State, Federal): 25.1%
Private Company: 67.6%
Non-Profit: 5.8%
Self-Employed Workers: 1.5%
Industries:
Legal Services: 66.5%
Government: 23.1%
Administrative and Support Services: 3.5%
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services: 3.2%
Educational Services: 1.1%
The vast majority of legal clerks work for private companies in the legal services industry (66.5%), followed by government agencies at the local, state and federal levels (23.1%).
A small percentage are employed in other professional services, administrative roles, education, or are self-employed
Legal Clerk Salary
According to a Zippia Study, in the United States the average salary for legal clerks is $35,152 per year or $16.9 per hour.
The states with the highest salaries for legal clerks in the United States, according to Zippia June, 2024 report includes New York ($45,155) and Washington ($43,385).
But important to mention that figures may vary in regards to educational level, certifications, years of experience, and other related aspects that could be identification in the role of a legal clerk within an organization.
Legal Clerk Job Satisfaction
CareerExplorer conducted a survey, and its key findings on the career satisfaction of judicial law clerks are as follows:
Overall satisfaction
On a scale of 5 stars, judicial law clerks rate the happy quotient of their careers at 3.0, thereby placing them in the bottom 31% of careers ranked by satisfaction.
2. Factors impacting satisfaction
Salary
2.8/5: Judicial law clerks are pretty dissatisfied with their salary.
Meaningfulness
2.6/5: Most judicial law clerks do not find much meaning in their job.
Personality fit
3.6/5: The majority find their personalities well-matched to their work.
Work environment
3.4/5: Most tend to enjoy, or at worst, not be actively bothered by their work environment.
Skills utilization
2.9/5: Judicial law clerks feel they do not use their skills as much compared to other jobs.
Comparison
In comparison to other similar legal careers, judicial law clerks, with an average of 3.0, rank lower than legislators, arbitrators, hearing officers, and lobbyists.
However, they are at same level with the court reporters, but higher than paralegals, probation officers, and legal secretaries, and compliance managers.
Well, as indicated by this survey, in general, judicial law clerks are satisfied that they have a good personality/work fit and relatively enjoy the working environment, but less satisfied with salary, meaningfulness of work, and how well skills are utilized.
Conclusion
Above, we have explained the job description of a legal clerk, key duties, and responsibilities, required skills and qualifications, employment statistics, salary info, and satisfaction level at a job.
We hope that with detailed insight into this imperative legal profession, we will manage to provide knowledge to aspiring legal professionals regarding pursuit of a rewarding legal clerk career.
It can also prove exceedingly useful for those employers who intend to formulate explicit and concise descriptions regarding the position of a legal clerk.
When tasks, skills, and qualifications become realized, employers can find the most compatible person to employ into their legal groups.
A career as a legal clerk holds an enormous amount of opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Having acquired a sound legal background and being detail-oriented, with brilliant organizational skills, legal clerks themselves have become very essential in the dispensation of justice efficiently and greatly contribute a lot to the smooth running of legal systems all over the world.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Learn more from our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
