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Legal Assistant

Legal assistants perform a variety of administrative duties. They work in law offices, legal departments of large organizations, courts, justice departments, real estate companies, insurance companies, mortgage brokerages, banks, municipal offices, and land title offices.

Also Known As

Administrative Support Personnel, Legal Secretary, Office Personnel, Secretary

NOC Codes

In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.

The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.

Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.

2006 NOC

  • 1242: Legal Secretaries

2006 NOC-S

  • B212: Legal Secretaries

2011 NOC

  • 1242: Legal administrative assistants

2016 NOC

  • 1242: Legal administrative assistants

2021 NOC

  • 13111: Legal administrative assistants

2023 OaSIS

  • 13111.00: Legal administrative assistants
Duties
Updated Mar 22, 2023

Duties and responsibilities vary from one organization to another. In general, legal assistants prepare correspondence and legal documents. These include trust documents, wills, mortgages, contracts, statutory declarations, affidavits, applications, and briefs. They use word processing, spreadsheet, database, or presentation software. They also:

  • Answer the telephone, schedule appointments and meetings, greet clients, and handle administrative and business details
  • Set up meetings using virtual meeting platforms
  • Set up and maintain systems to manage records, including classifying and coding electronic and hard copy files
  • Keep track of limitation dates (deadlines for court proceedings) and court dates
  • Learn and follow the correct procedures when preparing and serving legal documents
  • Transcribe correspondence and legal documents from digital recordings or handwritten notes
  • Open correspondence, including faxes and email, coordinate the flow of information, and respond to routine inquiries
  • Review and proofread outgoing documents to ensure they are error free and comply with legal procedures
  • Access and use online legal resources
  • File documents digitally using court-specific online filing portals
  • Operate office equipment such as voice mail systems, photocopying machines, and computer scanning equipment
  • Handle routine accounting procedures
  • Perform general office duties

They also may attend court or conferences to take notes, minutes, and dictation. They may attend hospitals or residences to witness a client’s signature on documents. With experience, their duties and responsibilities may overlap with those of paralegals. For more information, see the Paralegal occupational profile.

Working Conditions
Updated Mar 22, 2023
  • Strength Required Lift up to 5 kg

Legal assistants work in fast-paced office environments. They usually work standard office hours but may need to work overtime to meet deadlines. Deadlines include such things as real estate closing dates and timelines for filing and serving court documents.

Interests & Abilities

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2006 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.

Legal Secretaries

2006 NOC: 1242

Interest Codes

Interest Codes for This NOC Group
METHODICAL

Interest in compiling information to maintain filing systems; and in reviewing documents and correspondence to ensure that they comply with legal procedures and grammatical usage

OBJECTIVE

Interest in operating computers, and other office equipment; may train other staff in the use of current software

directive

Interest in speaking with people to schedule employers' appointments, meetings and conferences; in opening and distributing regular and electronic mail and other materials; and in co-ordinating the flow of information internally and with other departments and organizations; may supervise other staff in procedures

Your Interest Codes

To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.

Reading Interest Codes
A Quick Guide

The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation. 

It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.

Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.

A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.

A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.

Learn About Interests

Abilities

Typical ability expectations for this NOC group
Your abilities

To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Exercise in CAREERinsite.

Mental Abilities

General Learning Ability

Verbal Ability

Numerical Ability

Visual Abilities

Spatial Perception

Form Perception

Clerical Perception

Physical Abilities

Motor Coordination

Finger Dexterity

Manual Dexterity

Understanding Abilities

A Quick Guide

You are born with abilities that help you process certain types of information and turn it into action. These abilities influence which skills you can learn more easily.

The abilities or aptitudes shown for this NOC group come from the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). The GATB measures 9 aptitudes. It groups them into 3 categories: mental, visual, and physical.

The abilities scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being stronger.

Learn About Abilities

Traits & Skills
Updated Mar 22, 2023

Legal assistants need:

  • Communication, organization, and time-management skills
  • Accuracy and attention to detail
  • The ability to work with clients who are under stress
  • The ability to work independently or as part of a team
  • The ability to solve problems under tight deadlines
  • Integrity and the ability to maintain confidentiality
  • The ability to think quickly and switch between tasks when emergencies arise

They should be comfortable dealing with people. They should enjoy operating equipment such as computers. They should like compiling and organizing information.

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.

Top 10 Skills Employers Are Looking For

Legal administrative assistants

2016 NOC: 1242

This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 100 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Aug 04, 2023 and Mar 28, 2024.

Review these skills to learn:

  • Whether or not this occupation matches your skill set
  • What training you may need to get these skills
  • What skills to highlight in your resumé, cover letter, and interview.
Tasks: Prepare and key in correspondence and legal documents
Tasks: Review and proofread documents and correspondence to ensure compliance with legal procedures and grammatical usage
Tasks: Maintain filing system
Attention to detail
Tasks: Schedule and confirm appointments
Tasks: Open and distribute regular and electronic incoming mail and other material and co-ordinate the flow of information
Tasks: Determine and establish office procedures and routines
Construction Specialization: Accurate
Construction Specialization: Organized
Work under pressure
Educational Requirements
Updated Mar 22, 2023
  • Minimum Education 1 year post-secondary

Employers need legal assistants to be computer literate. They must have fast, accurate keyboarding skills. The preferred typing speed is 80 words a minute. A post-secondary certificate or diploma in office administration, internet literacy, and familiarity with legal vocabulary are assets.

Prospective students should ask employers about the suitability and reputation of training programs before enrolling in one. For information about related 2-year diploma programs, see the Paralegal occupational profile.

The Legal Education Society of Alberta (LESA) offers professional development courses for legal support staff.

To expand or narrow your search for programs related to this occupation, visit Post-Secondary Programs.

Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.

Certification Requirements
Updated Mar 22, 2023
  • Certification Not Regulated

There is currently no provincial legislation regulating this occupation in Alberta.

Employment & Advancement
Updated Mar 22, 2023

Legal assistants work for:

  • Legal firms
  • Legal departments of large companies
  • Real estate companies
  • Mortgage brokers and banks
  • Insurance companies
  • Municipalities
  • Municipal, provincial, and federal courts
  • Government departments and agencies, such as land title offices

In large organizations and law firms, experienced legal assistants may advance to paralegal or supervisory positions.

Industry Concentration

This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.

In the 1242: Legal administrative assistants occupational group, 77.7% of people work in:

Employment Outlook

Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:

  • Time of year (for seasonal jobs)
  • Location in Alberta
  • Employment turnover (when people leave existing positions)
  • Occupational growth (when new positions are created)
  • Size of the occupation
  • Trends and events that affect overall employment, especially in the industry or industries from the previous list

In Alberta, the 1242: Legal administrative assistants occupational group is expected to have an above-average annual growth of 2.3% from 2019 to 2023. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 172 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.

Note
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For example, only some of the new positions to be created will be for this occupation. It also applies to other data for the NOC group such as number of people employed.

Source: 2019-2023 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook

Related Alberta Job Postings
Wage & Salary
Updated Mar 22, 2023

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.

Legal administrative assistants

2016 NOC: 1242
Average Wage
$30.72
Per Hour
Average Salary
$56,618.00
Per Year
Average Hours
35.5
Per Week
Average Months on Payroll
12
Survey Methodology Survey Analysis

Source
2021 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey

NOC 1242 Wage Profile

Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.

All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.

To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.

Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.

A: High Reliability
Data Reliability Code Definition

High Reliability, represents a CV of less than or equal to 6.00% and 30 survey observations and/or represents 50% or more of all estimated employment for the occupation.


Hourly Wage

For full-time and part-time employees
  • Low
  • High
  • Average
  • Median
Starting
Overall
Top

Hourly Wage

For full-time and part-time employees
Wages* Low (5th percentile) High (95th percentile) Average Median
Starting $17.58 $30.22 $23.73 $21.98
Overall $22.89 $36.92 $30.72 $30.64
Top $26.25 $46.15 $38.81 $38.62

Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.

* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.

Pay brackets for hourly wages

  • Starting pay: average pay offered for entry-level positions
  • Overall pay: average pay across all employees in this occupation
  • Top pay: average pay offered to top-paid employees

Industry Information

ALL INDUSTRIES
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services
Public Administration

Skills Shortage

Employers that Recruited in the Last 2 Years
52%
52%)
Recruiting Employers that Experienced Hiring Difficulties
36%
36%
Employers with Unfilled Vacancies of over 4 Months
6%
6%
Vacancy Rate
2%
Related Post-Secondary Field of Study
  • Clerical and Administrative Support
Other Sources of Information
Updated Mar 22, 2023

Alberta Association of Professional Paralegals website: www.alberta-paralegal.com

Legal Education Society of Alberta (LESA) website: www.lesaonline.org

Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.

Updated Mar 22, 2023. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.

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