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Legal PA Job Description

Written by: Ethan Cumming
Published on: 20 Oct 2023

Legal PA

 

A Legal PA: a legal support professional who assists and aids an individual or management team working within a law firm or in-house department. In this Legal PA job description article, we will answer key questions such as “What is a Legal PA?” and “What does a PA do in a law firm?” before looking at the requirements and rewards of Legal PA jobs.

 

  • What is a Legal PA?

    Employed by national, regional and City law firms, as well as in-house departments and Barrister’s chambers, Legal PAs provide administrative and secretarial support to an individual or small team. Most tasks are administrative or clerical in nature, while roles have varying degrees of involvement in hands-on legal work.

    In many ways, the role of a Legal PA is similar to that of a Legal Secretary. They are, however, distinct roles. Where Legal Secretaries often support an entire team or department, Legal PAs provide one-to-one assistance to one or more bosses, managing their personal calendars and diaries. Where Legal Secretaries have limited exposure to legal work, Legal PAs take on more responsibility, and are sometimes involved with senior tasks such as business development, project management and liaising with clients.

  • What Does a Legal PA Do?

    Legal PAs are responsible for assisting one or more individuals in a law firm or in-house legal team with all aspects of their professional lives. This can include liaising with clients, drafting documents and project management, as well as booking meetings, travel, and accommodation.

    The responsibilities of a Legal PA are broad and can vary greatly from role to role. However, as a guide, a Legal PA job description often involves:

    • Directly supporting Partners, General Counsel and other senior legal professionals.
    • Extensive calendar and diary management.
    • Booking travel, meetings and accommodation.
    • Organising events, appearances and engagements.
    • Being the first point of contact for clients, internal staff and other PAs.
    • Monitoring and responding to email and telephone enquiries.
    • Involvement with marketing and business development.
    • Establishing and maintaining client relationships.
    • Project management.
    • Oversight of budgets and accounts
    • Drafting correspondence, legal documentation, forms and contracts.
    • Carrying out legal research.
    • Attending court.
    • Making business decisions for bosses when required and appropriate.
    • General secretarial and administrative tasks.
    • Supervision or management of more junior staff such as Legal Secretaries or Paralegals.

  • How to Become a Legal PA

    Often, Legal PAs have previous experience as a Paralegal, Legal Secretary, Legal Administrator, or another non-qualified legal support role. Alternatively, experienced PAs may decide to switch to a career in law after spending time within another industry.

    Employers will often look for candidates who demonstrate a strong academic record, plus relevant secretarial experience and evidence of an interest in law. A degree or qualification in law, business administration or secretarial studies may help you to stand out from the crowd, as would a specialist diploma such as that offered by the Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs (ILSPA).

    Recognised by law firms and legal recruiters, the ILSPA’s Legal Secretaries Diploma course provides the legal knowledge and practical skills required to become a competent and confident Legal PA. Find out more about the qualification and how to enrol on the ILSPA website.

  • What Are the Key Skills of a Legal PA?

    A Legal PA job description will often call for candidates whose skillset includes:

    • Communication, interpersonal and relationship building skills.
    • High levels of organisation and flexibility.
    • The ability to multitask and deal with competing demands.
    • The ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
    • Demonstrable legal knowledge.
    • Diary management skills.
    • Fast and efficient typing.
    • Strong writing and drafting skills.
    • Technology and IT skills, including experience using the Microsoft Office package.
    • General administrative skills such as filing.
    • Excellent telephone manner.

    Discover our '5 key attributes of a Legal PA' article for further detail.

  • How Much Does a Legal PA Earn?

    According to our latest Audience Insight Report, Legal PAs in the UK earn an average salary of £39,286 per year. This salary varies depending on location, practice area, employer, and experience level, with the most senior Legal PAs reporting salaries of up to £50,000 per year. 

  • The Career Prospects of a Legal PA

    Legal PA jobs provide excellent opportunities for those looking to progress a career in law or as an Assistant. For those interested in the legal side of things, a Legal PA role can be the first step towards qualifying as a Legal Executive or Solicitor, while those firmly set on an Assistant career can go on to support increasingly senior individuals or become an EA.

    Find out more about your options for progressing your legal career in our Legal Executive Job Description and How to Become a Solicitor articles. Check out our sister site SecsintheCity’s EA Job Description for more info on how you could progress to an EA position.

  • Legal PA Jobs on TotallyLegal

    As the UK’s leading legal jobs board, we work with specialist recruiters and employers to bring you the latest Legal PA jobs in a range of locations, practice areas, and experience levels. Discover your next role today on TotallyLegal or sign up for job alerts to get the latest jobs as a PA sent directly to your email inbox.

    Would you like to take part in an interview for our blog about your experience as a Legal PA? If so, we would love to hear from you. Get in touch on marketing@reachwork.com to find out more.