What skills are required for Paralegals and Legal Assistants?
| Importance | Skills |
|---|---|
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Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents. |
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Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. |
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Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience. |
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Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively. |
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Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems. |
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Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making. |
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Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions. |
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Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. |
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Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others. |
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Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions. |
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Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people. |
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Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. |
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Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do. |
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Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior. |
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Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences. |
What knowledge is needed to be a Paralegals and Legal Assistant?
| Importance | Knowledge |
|---|---|
| |
Administrative - Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology. |
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English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. |
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Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process. |
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Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. |
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Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming. |
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Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources. |
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Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions. |
Work Styles
| Importance | Styles |
|---|---|
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Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. |
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Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical. |
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Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. |
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Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. |
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Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. |
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Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace. |
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Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations. |
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Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks. |
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Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles. |
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Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done. |
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Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. |
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Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems. |
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Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job. |
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Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction. |
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Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job. |
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Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems. |