Part-Time Law Office Jobs – Why You Should Apply
Part-time employment in a law office can be an excellent option for those who are seeking to allow flexibility in their schedule, maintain a healthy work-life balance, or need a position while also pursuing an education or other work. Many law students, whether they be traditional students or those who may have attended a different graduate program before moving into the law, find that pursuing part-time employment in a law firm allows them to receive the types of experience they need to set them up for success upon graduation.
While full-time employment with a law firm or business-casual corporate or government environment is certainly desirable, many students struggle to maintain the hectic pace required while still working enough hours to feed themselves and pay rent. Likewise, part-time work is often desirable for downseason in a business casual office . Whether they work in marketing, at the front desk, or in another role, individuals whose work is impacted by high seasons may seek to be employed part-time in a law office during their low seasons — allowing them not only to keep their resume skills fresh, but put them to use while helping their firm to fill a gap in staffing and provide them an additional small source of income.
It’s important to remember that part-time does not have to mean limited hours. Many part-time law office jobs will consider doing soccer mom or dad hours, allowing you to come in before and after your other commitments. Once you’re established in your current role, they will often be eager to consider offering you full-time employment should it become available within their busy office. In today’s economy, job stability and security are invaluable — and part-time work in a law office may provide just that.
How to Identify Part-Time Opportunities in your area
In addition to using portals, people can canvas specific law offices and firms in their locality. Obviously this requires more effort but the chances of landing work are substantially enhanced. New law office positions usually come via "word of mouth" as it were and if an office is already familiar with you, the chances are much better. That being said, if you ask the office administrator to keep your resume as a "back up supply should any contingent work arise" it shows that you are partial to that office! A subtle, but positive, message to convey to a prospective employer.
If an office has multiple locations, print up extra copies of your resume. Go to each location and introduce yourself. When an office learns of a qualified and capable part time candidate, they make every attempt to make that part time candidate their own.
Postings on such job boards as Indeed.com are another source of finding a law office that has a need for a dedicated candidate. These postings vary from large office conglomerates, to start up companies; from temp agencies to someone looking for a babysitter/legal secretary in a 24/7 call center. Even a small town needs a part time paralegal or legal assistant! Now they can find you!
Law office hiring managers are always searching for capable competent candidates who are already employed in a "good fit" position. If you are presently gainfully employed but know of a law office that is a good fit, apply to that office. You will be the "candidate of the moment"!
One last thought! If you demonstrate your particular skills via tools or tricks that most people do not know about… what comes to mind: Part-Time Candidate or Office Rockstar?
Types of Part-Time Law Office Positions Available
The availability of part-time jobs in legal offices all depends on the firm’s overall need that particular week. Even large firms have openings on occasion depending on workload, for example, or unforeseen circumstances like a holiday or illness.
Below are some of the more common part-time jobs available, no matter how big or small the legal office is. Keep in mind that the job may have a different title at your local firm, but you should be able to figure out exactly what they’re talking about.
Legal Assistant/Paralegal: The terms "legal assistant" and "paralegal" are often used interchangeably, but there is a difference. A legal assistant is basically an administrative assistant who has some knowledge of the law. This assistant can do a lot of paperwork at a law office.
As for a paralegal, you must complete a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, along with either a certificate or an associate’s degree in paralegal studies. Paralegals also earn above-average salaries, starting at around $14 per hour, or an average of about $60,000 per year.
Receptionist: Even legal offices that are pretty small still have a receptionist. This is usually a full-time position, but not always. Your duties as a receptionist will be, but not limited to, answering phones, greeting clients and visitors, passing along notes or messages to lawyers, setting appointments, and more.
Administrative Support / Secretary: In some legal offices, you will need to get a certification for administrative support (or a similar title) before you are hired. Sometimes it is just a matter of letting the employer know that you have the skills that they are looking for. In general, however, the job of an administrative support is to keep everything organized. This includes managing files, information, and even the office’s schedule of appointments and meetings.
Essential Skills for Part-Time Law Office Careers
Finding Local Part-Time Law Office Jobs: Your Ultimate Guide
While the specific skills needed for a part-time position at a law office may vary from position to position and task to task, several skills are essential for success.
Excellent Communication Skills
Written and oral communication skills are vital. A law office is generally a fast-paced environment where employees must clearly relay instructions and other important information constantly. The ability to communicate effectively contributes to the overall productivity and efficiency of the entire office.
Attention to Detail
Legal documentation is highly detailed and sensitive. Even minor errors and mistakes can have negative implications. Therefore , a meticulous attention to detail is fundamental.
Organizational Skills
Legal professionals need to be able to organize documents, evidence, activities and schedules effectively. Effective organization is key to the success of the entire office. Therefore, organizational skills are a must for law offices.
Ability to Multi-Task
Constantly shifting gears is the norm in a law office. Those interested in part-time positions must be able to switch their focus from task to task reliably without losing efficiency or productivity. Additionally, they should be able to shift their attentions quickly and easily.
How to Effectively Apply for Part-Time Law Office Positions
Crafting a Great Resume and Cover Letter:
Your resume should be no more than 1 page. It should include your job title, name and locations of your educational institutions, as well as when you graduated. Do not include the Associate Degree that you earned when you were 19 years old if you are 40. Do not include jobs you held in High School. Do not include abstract descriptions of what you did in your job, instead use bullets, short, concise phrases, and try to avoid sentences. For example, if you were a receptionist at a law firm, your bullet points should look like this:
• Answered phones
• Greeted clients
• Typed correspondence
• Opened and closed files
• Scanned and copied documents
• Updated calendars on Outlook for attorneys
For education, include the school, degree(s) earned, honors, scholarship programs, and special projects (such as an Exchange Semester Abroad). Sometimes we even leave off the dates we graduated because we no longer want prospective employers to know how long ago that was. As a general rule, the further away from your education you get, the less information to include, unless it is directly related to the position you are applying for (e.g., I graduated from Law School in 1980 and received a 172 on the bar exam in Illinois). You should have a different cover letter for each resume that you send out. Your cover letter should be 1 paragraph long and should never be more than one page long. If you know the name of who you are sending it to, include their name in the first sentence. Your first paragraph should start with "Dear Ms./Mr. ____," and your second paragraph could start with, "I am responding to your ad in _______ (newspaper, website, etc.) dated ____ (date of posting), or if you do not have an ad to respond to, but have heard through a friend there may be a position available, state that, "It was brought to my attention that you may be looking for an Associate." Your first paragraph should talk a little bit about what the offering firm does; what sort of work they are most interested in; what town or county you live in. The letter should not be more than 1 page, and you should close with a line like, "I am looking forward to hearing from you", and then sign off "Sincerely".
Preparing for the Interview:
Just as applicants should be familiar with the firms website before going on an interview and should know what type of a practice they run, employers expect candidates to already be familiar with the law firm and its practice, outline a position and a job description, and understand who the attorneys are. They may not ask you anything about the firm, but they probably will. You don’t want to look stupid because you couldn’t be bothered to do a Google search on the firm. Know whether you are a good fit for the firm you are speaking with. As a rule of thumb, you cannot over prepare for an interview. While your resume should show the best of you, this is where you continue to shine. If you worked for a different law firm, include a reference. In all your positions, you should make clear that you could do the job that they need you for. Do you have a family? What are your kids’ names? Sometimes, it is better to leave the family stuff at home, because interviewers go by instinct, and if you have little children, what are you going to do about daycare if they are sick, or if you go into labor and need to go to the hospital in the middle of a hearing? Where you live might also confuse your prospective employer. If you live far from the office, is the employer’s concern about your commute keeping you from actually getting to work on time? The only time you should talk about your family, and specifically your children, is if they bring it up. If I were to interview you, I would be genuinely interested in who your kids are, how far apart in age they are and what their names are. If you tell me that they are 2 and 4, I might want to know if you are expecting another one (because if you are, I might not want to hire you). However, what I really care about is whether you work full-time, part-time, when you work, where you work, whether you work on the weekend, whether you work at night, whether you can travel, can you take a deposition on the other side of Florida, or whether you could go to another state or out of the country for a period of time. If you come out and say, "I have one child, 3 years old and I am bargaining for some more time off to spend with her. If you can give me Fridays off, I’ll take that", you may as well not even talk about it anymore because you just eliminated yourself from consideration. At this point, no one expects you to work 80 hours per week. You may have a home to go home to after work is supposed to end, but you really should be ready to put in the time and effort to do the work that it takes to ensure that the firm is succeeding and that you are successful too.
How to Balance Part-Time Law Office Work with your Referring Practice
When considering part-time office work as a lawyer, it is essential to effectively manage the dual responsibilities that such a role brings. For many who are balancing a variety of other commitments, such as family and side ventures, where time is restricted, attempts at part-time work can often lead to fear of "dropping the ball" in one area or another. But with a few simple strategies, you can become a master at balancing your legal career with the rest of your life.
One of the most critical components of effectively managing a part-time job is to be highly organized with all that you do. Obvious, maybe, but being diligent about keeping organized makes a world of difference. Whether for work or personal use, keep records of your to-do lists, goals, essential information, and updates on your progress.
You can take notes during your meetings, write down notes about current projects, and record new ideas for you to pursue individually later on. Also, do not forget about calendar apps like Google Calendar or Apple Calendar which can help you keep track of appointments, work obligations, meetings, and more .
Perhaps the most important component of successful time management is to simply remain proactive. Clients and colleagues alike value being kept up-to-date and in the loop. It instills confidence in them, strengthens your relationship with them, and ensures that no major issues arise while you’re away. Either before or after joining a project, plan how you can spin the plates simultaneously. For example, if you oversee complex projects that require constant attention, it may make more sense to only commit to part-time law office jobs when you’re not engaged on those particular projects, and dedicate the appropriate time to educating and informing others about them while you are.
In summary, the keys to success for balancing your career with other commitments include..
Otherwise, be upfront about your availability, and keep regular, open channels of communication so that you are kept in the loop with everything that is happening in your backward and forward steps. With these strategies, you can keep yourself organized and reduce any stress you might have by working part-time in a law office.
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