When I began working as a legal assistant, I expected the role to involve primarily traditional administrative tasks—answering phone calls, managing emails, and scheduling—along with some legal-specific responsibilities such as communicating with courts and other law firms, collecting payments, and sending reminders to clients and attorneys.
What I quickly learned is that the role is far more involved and hands-on than I anticipated. Legal assistants play an integral role in the substantive handling of client cases. This includes carefully reviewing every document sent to clients and every document received from opposing counsel. Each response must be thoroughly revised, every detail must be accurate, and all supporting documentation must be complete. This level of precision is essential so that when hearings, depositions, mediations, or trials occur, the case file leaves no room for doubt.
I have also learned how critical legal assistants are in ensuring that clients timely review and complete all required documents. This follow-up is essential to meeting court deadlines and firm-imposed timelines. Without consistent client coordination, even well-prepared cases can fall behind.
One of the more surprising challenges has been the difficulty of communicating with opposing counsel. Reaching attorneys on the other side of a case can be extremely difficult, and scheduling time to review documents or discuss case issues often requires persistent effort.
Another unexpected aspect of the job is workflow management. I initially assumed work would be handled one case at a time. In practice, that approach would be inefficient and unworkable. Instead, the work requires constant prioritization across cases, focusing on deadlines while also addressing smaller tasks that keep each matter moving forward.
Finally, working with court clerks has proven more challenging than I anticipated. Whether confirming that a judge has reviewed filings submitted through Judicial Link, determining whether orders have been signed, or simply obtaining a deposition date, even what appear to me to be routine tasks can require significant follow-up.
Utah Family Law, LC | divorceutah.com | 801-466-9277