Top 12 Corporate Legal Assistant Skills to Put on Your Resume
Crafting a standout resume as a Corporate Legal Assistant requires a keen understanding of the unique skills that make you invaluable to legal teams. Highlighting your proficiency in these top skills can significantly elevate your candidacy, demonstrating your capability to handle the complexities of corporate law environments.
Corporate Legal Assistant Skills
- LexisNexis
- Westlaw
- Document Drafting
- Litigation Support
- Contract Management
- PACER
- E-filing
- Legal Research
- Microsoft Office
- Time Management
- Communication
- Confidentiality
1. LexisNexis
LexisNexis is a leading global provider of legal, regulatory, and business information and analytics, offering a comprehensive suite of tools and resources for legal research, case law, statutes, legal news, and business insights, to assist corporate legal assistants in their work.
Why It's Important
LexisNexis is important for a Corporate Legal Assistant because it provides comprehensive legal research, access to a vast database of case law, statutes, regulations, legal journals, and news sources essential for preparing legal documents and advising on corporate legal matters efficiently and accurately.
How to Improve LexisNexis Skills
Improving LexisNexis for a Corporate Legal Assistant involves leveraging its tools and resources efficiently to streamline legal research and documentation. Here are concise steps:
Training: Enroll in LexisNexis training programs to master advanced search techniques and utilize legal analytics effectively.
Lexis Advance®: Use Lexis Advance® for comprehensive legal research, accessing a vast database of legal resources with powerful search capabilities.
Integration Tools: Incorporate LexisNexis integration tools like Lexis® for Microsoft Office®, which allows for seamless research within your workflow, reducing the need to switch between applications.
Practice Area-Specific Resources: Utilize practice area-specific resources for targeted research in areas relevant to corporate law, such as mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, etc., to save time and increase accuracy.
Stay Updated: Use LexisNexis services like Law360 and Nexis® Newsdesk to stay informed about the latest legal news and developments that can impact your corporation.
By focusing on these areas, a Corporate Legal Assistant can enhance their efficiency and productivity in legal research and analysis using LexisNexis.
How to Display LexisNexis Skills on Your Resume
2. Westlaw
Westlaw is an online legal research service and database designed for legal professionals, including corporate legal assistants, providing access to case law, statutes, legal journals, and other legal resources to support legal research and case preparation.
Why It's Important
Westlaw is crucial for a Corporate Legal Assistant as it provides comprehensive access to a vast database of legal resources, including case law, statutes, and regulations, enabling efficient research and ensuring accuracy in legal documentation and compliance matters.
How to Improve Westlaw Skills
Improving your Westlaw proficiency as a Corporate Legal Assistant involves several key strategies focused on utilizing the platform more effectively to enhance research efficiency and accuracy. Here's a concise guide:
Master Boolean Searches: Understand and use Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) to refine your search results. Westlaw's Boolean search guide offers a comprehensive overview.
Use KeyCite: Leverage KeyCite to check the validity of cases, statutes, and regulations, ensuring you rely on good law.
Customize Preferences: Tailor your Westlaw settings for a more personalized experience. This includes adjusting the layout and default databases to suit your most common research tasks. Westlaw's preference settings can guide you through customization options.
Take Advantage of Practice Area Resources: Utilize Westlaw's practice area-specific resources for more targeted research. This includes specialized databases and tools designed for corporate law research.
Utilize Alerts: Set up Westlaw Alerts for new developments in relevant laws, regulations, or industries to stay informed and proactive.
Westlaw Training and Support: Engage with Westlaw’s training resources and customer support to learn new features or troubleshoot issues. Westlaw training offers tutorials, webinars, and live assistance to boost your skills.
Incorporating these strategies can significantly enhance your efficiency and research quality on Westlaw, ensuring you provide optimal support in your role as a Corporate Legal Assistant.
How to Display Westlaw Skills on Your Resume
3. Document Drafting
Document drafting, in the context of a Corporate Legal Assistant, involves creating formal business documents such as contracts, agreements, policies, and legal correspondence, ensuring they are clear, legally sound, and in compliance with relevant laws and corporate standards.
Why It's Important
Document drafting is crucial for a Corporate Legal Assistant as it ensures the accuracy, legality, and clarity of corporate communications and agreements, thereby minimizing legal risks and protecting the company's interests.
How to Improve Document Drafting Skills
Improving document drafting, especially for a Corporate Legal Assistant, involves enhancing clarity, structure, and accuracy. Here are concise strategies:
Understand the Purpose: Clearly understand the document's purpose to ensure relevance and focus. The Lawyer's Guide to Writing Well offers insights.
Know Your Audience: Tailor your language and content to the document's intended audience, considering their level of expertise and interests. PlainLanguage.gov provides tips on audience-centered writing.
Use Templates and Precedents: Utilize existing templates and precedents to maintain consistency and efficiency. Practical Law has a range of resources.
Be Clear and Concise: Use plain language, avoid jargon, and be concise. The Elements of Style by Strunk and White is a classic guide.
Review and Edit: Always review and edit your drafts for errors, clarity, and coherence. Tools like Grammarly can help with grammar and style.
Ensure Legal Accuracy: Verify the legal accuracy of your document, consulting legal databases as necessary. Westlaw is a reliable source.
Get Feedback: Seek feedback from colleagues to improve and refine your drafting skills.
Continuous Learning: Stay updated on legal writing trends and best practices. Legal Writing Institute offers resources and workshops.
By following these strategies, Corporate Legal Assistants can enhance their document drafting skills, contributing to more effective and efficient legal documentation.
How to Display Document Drafting Skills on Your Resume
4. Litigation Support
Litigation support refers to the specialized assistance provided to attorneys in managing large volumes of information and preparing for trial, including document management, research, and drafting legal documents, tailored to the needs of corporate legal teams.
Why It's Important
Litigation support is crucial for a Corporate Legal Assistant because it aids in efficiently managing and organizing evidence, streamlining document review, facilitating case strategy development, and ensuring compliance with legal procedures, ultimately enhancing the company's ability to effectively navigate legal disputes.
How to Improve Litigation Support Skills
Improving litigation support, especially for a Corporate Legal Assistant, involves enhancing organization, technology utilization, and communication. Here are concise strategies:
Enhance Organizational Skills: Develop a comprehensive filing system for managing documents, both physically and digitally. Use document management software like Clio to streamline this process.
Leverage Technology: Adopt litigation support software such as Logikcull or Relativity to handle e-discovery, document review, and case management more efficiently.
Improve Communication: Utilize project management tools like Asana for better collaboration with your team and external counsel. This ensures everyone stays on the same page regarding timelines and tasks.
Continuous Learning: Stay updated with the latest in litigation support by enrolling in online courses and webinars offered by the Legal Tech Society, focusing on legal technology and best practices.
Outsource When Necessary: Consider the use of external litigation support services for complex cases that require specialized expertise or additional resources.
Implementing these strategies can significantly improve litigation support efficiency and effectiveness within a corporate legal assistant role.
How to Display Litigation Support Skills on Your Resume
5. Contract Management
Contract management is the process of creating, executing, and overseeing contracts to ensure the terms are fulfilled, obligations are met, and the business interests of a corporation are protected. It involves negotiation, compliance monitoring, and managing amendments or disputes, supporting the legal framework within which a corporate legal assistant operates.
Why It's Important
Contract management is crucial for a Corporate Legal Assistant as it ensures the organization's agreements are legally compliant, accurately executed, and efficiently monitored, minimizing legal and financial risks while optimizing operational and financial performance.
How to Improve Contract Management Skills
Improving contract management involves streamlining processes, ensuring accuracy, and maintaining organization. Here’s a concise guide for a Corporate Legal Assistant:
Adopt a Contract Management System (CMS): Implement a CMS to centralize contract storage, tracking, and management. Tools like DocuSign or ContractWorks simplify these tasks.
Standardize Contract Processes: Develop and adhere to standard templates and procedures for creating, reviewing, and executing contracts. The ACC (Association of Corporate Counsel) offers resources and best practices.
Ensure Compliance: Regularly review contracts and processes to ensure compliance with laws and regulations. Utilize compliance management software or consult resources from Compliance Week.
Continuous Training: Stay updated with the latest in contract law and management practices through continuous learning. Platforms like Coursera or LinkedIn Learning offer relevant courses.
Leverage Analytics: Use data analytics to assess contract performance and identify improvement areas. Tools like Tableau can help visualize and analyze contract data.
Collaborate Efficiently: Foster clear communication and collaboration between all parties involved in the contract process. Solutions like Slack or Microsoft Teams can facilitate this.
Implementing these strategies can significantly enhance your contract management efficiency and effectiveness.
How to Display Contract Management Skills on Your Resume
6. PACER
PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) is an online system that provides access to U.S. federal court documents and information, facilitating legal research and case tracking for professionals, including Corporate Legal Assistants.
Why It's Important
PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) is crucial for a Corporate Legal Assistant because it provides immediate and comprehensive access to federal court documents and case information, enabling effective legal research, case tracking, and informed decision-making for corporate legal matters.
How to Improve PACER Skills
Improving your PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) usage as a Corporate Legal Assistant involves enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness when accessing federal court documents. Here are concise tips:
Training and Education: Familiarize yourself with PACER by using the official PACER training site, which offers free, comprehensive guides and tutorials.
Utilize Advanced Search Techniques: Become proficient in using advanced search features to quickly find necessary documents. The PACER User Manual provides detailed instructions on advanced search options.
Manage Costs Effectively: Monitor and manage your PACER expenses by reviewing the fee schedule and using the quarterly billing statements to track spending. Remember, accessing documents costs money, so efficient searching can reduce costs.
Stay Organized: Keep track of your searches and downloaded documents. Develop a systematic approach for naming and storing files for easy access and reference.
Use Free and Alternative Resources: Before accessing PACER, check if the information is available through free sources like court websites or RECAP, which is a free law project aiming to make PACER documents available at no cost.
Stay Updated: PACER occasionally updates its system and fee structure. Stay informed about these changes by regularly checking the PACER announcements.
By following these steps and continuously seeking to improve your skills and knowledge in using PACER, you can enhance your efficiency and effectiveness as a Corporate Legal Assistant.
How to Display PACER Skills on Your Resume
7. E-filing
E-filing is the process of submitting legal documents electronically to a court or legal entity, streamlining case submissions and document management for corporate legal assistants.
Why It's Important
E-filing is crucial for a Corporate Legal Assistant as it streamlines document submission, ensures timely and secure delivery, enhances record keeping, and improves overall efficiency in managing legal processes.
How to Improve E-filing Skills
Improving e-filing for a Corporate Legal Assistant involves streamlining document management, ensuring data security, and promoting efficient collaboration. Here's a very short and concise strategy:
Leverage Cloud-Based Solutions: Utilize cloud-based e-filing systems like Clio for enhanced accessibility and collaboration. These platforms facilitate easy document sharing and management among team members, regardless of their location.
Implement Document Automation: Adopt document automation tools such as Smokeball to generate legal documents more efficiently, reducing manual data entry and errors.
Ensure Data Security: Prioritize platforms with strong encryption and security features like NetDocuments to protect sensitive information against unauthorized access.
Continuous Training: Engage in ongoing training for new software and e-filing procedures with platforms like Legal Files, ensuring that all team members stay up-to-date with the latest tools and best practices.
Feedback and Optimization: Regularly gather feedback from users and analyze performance through platforms like Logikcull to identify areas for improvement and optimize the e-filing process accordingly.
Adopting these strategies can significantly enhance the efficiency and security of e-filing systems for Corporate Legal Assistants.
How to Display E-filing Skills on Your Resume
8. Legal Research
Legal research, in the context of a Corporate Legal Assistant, involves systematically identifying and retrieving information necessary to support legal decision-making. This encompasses finding sources of law, such as statutes, case law, and regulations, relevant to the corporation’s legal matters to ensure compliance, mitigate risks, and inform corporate strategy and legal actions.
Why It's Important
Legal research is crucial for a Corporate Legal Assistant as it enables the precise identification and interpretation of laws, regulations, and precedents that govern corporate activities. This ensures compliance, informs decision-making, and mitigates legal risks for the corporation.
How to Improve Legal Research Skills
Improving legal research, especially for a Corporate Legal Assistant, involves enhancing both the efficiency and accuracy of the research process. Here are concise strategies:
Understand the Basics: Grasp the fundamentals of legal research, including the hierarchy of laws and the structure of legal documents. Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute is a great starting point.
Use Reliable Sources: Prioritize using reputable legal databases like Westlaw or LexisNexis for up-to-date and accurate information.
Stay Organized: Utilize legal research management tools like Casetext or Evernote to keep your research organized and easily accessible.
Practice Efficient Searching: Learn Boolean search techniques to refine your search results. Many databases offer tutorials, such as Westlaw’s search tips.
Stay Current: Keep abreast of legal developments relevant to your corporate field by subscribing to legal news and analysis sites like Law360 or The National Law Review.
Consult Secondary Sources: Start your research with secondary sources like legal encyclopedias, treatises, or law reviews for a comprehensive understanding of the topic. Many are available through Google Scholar or directly on law school websites.
By integrating these strategies, a Corporate Legal Assistant can significantly improve the quality and efficiency of their legal research.
How to Display Legal Research Skills on Your Resume
9. Microsoft Office
Microsoft Office is a suite of productivity software, including Word for document creation, Excel for data analysis, PowerPoint for presentations, and Outlook for email and calendar management, essential for corporate legal assistant tasks.
Why It's Important
Microsoft Office is crucial for a Corporate Legal Assistant as it provides essential tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) for drafting legal documents, managing data, and creating presentations, thereby enhancing productivity and ensuring efficient legal operations.
How to Improve Microsoft Office Skills
To improve Microsoft Office for a Corporate Legal Assistant, consider focusing on customization, automation, and integration:
Customization: Tailor the Office interface and features to match specific legal workflows. Utilize Quick Access Toolbar customizations for frequently used commands.
Automation: Leverage Microsoft Power Automate to automate repetitive tasks, such as document formatting and email management, enhancing productivity.
Integration: Use Microsoft Office Add-ins to integrate with legal research tools and databases directly within Office applications, streamlining research and reference processes.
By focusing on these areas, a Corporate Legal Assistant can significantly enhance efficiency and effectiveness in their role.
How to Display Microsoft Office Skills on Your Resume
10. Time Management
Time management for a Corporate Legal Assistant involves efficiently organizing and prioritizing tasks to meet legal deadlines, manage case files, and support attorneys, ensuring smooth and timely operations within a corporate legal environment.
Why It's Important
Time management is crucial for a Corporate Legal Assistant because it enables efficient handling of multiple tasks and deadlines, ensuring timely compliance with legal processes and minimizing the risk of errors or missed obligations, thereby maintaining the organization's legal integrity and operational efficiency.
How to Improve Time Management Skills
Improving time management, especially for a Corporate Legal Assistant, involves prioritizing tasks, breaking them into smaller steps, scheduling dedicated time for focused work, and leveraging technology for efficiency. Here are concise steps to enhance time management:
Prioritize Tasks: Utilize the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritize tasks based on urgency and importance. MindTools offers a comprehensive guide on how to apply this technique.
Use a Planner: Plan your day or week in advance using digital tools like Google Calendar (Google Calendar) for scheduling and reminders.
Break Tasks into Steps: For complex tasks, break them down into manageable steps. Tools like Trello (Trello) can help organize these steps and track progress.
Set Deadlines: Assign realistic deadlines for each task and subtask. This creates a sense of urgency and helps in effective time management.
Minimize Distractions: Use apps like Freedom (Freedom) to block distracting websites and notifications during work hours.
Delegate: Understand the tasks that can be delegated and to whom. Effective delegation can significantly free up your time for more critical tasks.
Review and Adjust: Regularly review your time management strategies and adjust as necessary. Reflect on what's working and what’s not, then tweak your approach accordingly.
By implementing these strategies, a Corporate Legal Assistant can significantly improve their time management skills, leading to enhanced productivity and reduced stress.
How to Display Time Management Skills on Your Resume
11. Communication
Communication, in the context of a Corporate Legal Assistant, involves the clear, accurate, and timely exchange of information related to legal matters, corporate policies, and procedures between internal teams, external legal partners, and clients to support effective decision-making and legal compliance.
Why It's Important
Communication is crucial for a Corporate Legal Assistant as it ensures accurate and efficient exchange of information, facilitates compliance and legal processes, and enhances collaboration among team members, clients, and stakeholders, thereby mitigating risks and contributing to the successful operation of the organization.
How to Improve Communication Skills
Improving communication, especially for a Corporate Legal Assistant, requires a blend of clear, concise messaging, active listening, and effective technology use. Here are key strategies:
Enhance Clarity and Conciseness: Use simple language to convey complex legal concepts. Plain Language offers guidelines on simplifying legal communication.
Active Listening: Focus on understanding the speaker's message. This MindTools guide provides techniques for improving active listening skills.
Feedback Loops: Implement regular feedback loops with your team and clients to ensure mutual understanding. Harvard Business Review discusses the effectiveness of feedback.
Leverage Technology: Utilize legal communication tools for better collaboration and document management. Clio and Slack are prominent examples.
Professional Development: Continuously improve your communication skills through courses and training. LinkedIn Learning offers courses tailored to improving professional communication.
By focusing on these strategies, a Corporate Legal Assistant can significantly enhance their communication effectiveness within their role.
How to Display Communication Skills on Your Resume
12. Confidentiality
Confidentiality, in the context of a Corporate Legal Assistant, refers to the strict obligation to protect and not disclose any sensitive, personal, or business-related information acquired during the course of their duties to unauthorized parties.
Why It's Important
Confidentiality is crucial for a Corporate Legal Assistant as it protects sensitive information, maintains client trust, and ensures compliance with legal obligations, thereby safeguarding the company's reputation and competitive advantage.
How to Improve Confidentiality Skills
Improving confidentiality as a Corporate Legal Assistant involves adopting measures that protect sensitive information from unauthorized access and leaks. Here are concise steps to enhance confidentiality:
Understand the Scope of Confidentiality: Familiarize yourself with what constitutes confidential information within your organization. Confidentiality Guidelines from the American Bar Association can provide a starting point.
Use Secure Communication Channels: Ensure that all communications, especially those containing sensitive information, are conducted through secure, encrypted channels. Signal and ProtonMail are examples of secure communication platforms.
Implement Strong Password Policies: Use complex, unique passwords for different accounts and change them regularly. Tools like LastPass can help manage passwords securely.
Educate and Train: Regularly train yourself and your team on confidentiality best practices and the importance of protecting sensitive information. The International Legal Technology Association offers resources and training for legal professionals.
Data Access Control: Limit access to confidential information to only those who need it to perform their job functions. Implementing Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) can help in managing access permissions efficiently.
Document Management and Destruction Policies: Ensure that confidential documents are stored securely and destroyed properly when no longer needed. NAID (National Association for Information Destruction) provides standards for information destruction.
Regular Audits and Compliance Checks: Conduct regular audits of your information security practices and compliance with relevant laws and regulations. The Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) offers resources on IT governance and risk management.
Remember, maintaining confidentiality is an ongoing process that requires vigilance, regular updates to security practices, and a culture of security awareness within the organization.
How to Display Confidentiality Skills on Your Resume
