Paralegal job description template
Paralegals do substantive legal work under an attorney's supervision: drafting documents, organizing discovery, doing research, managing deadlines and keeping clients informed. At a small firm they often handle intake and billing too. A strong post names your practice areas and software and says whether the role leans toward litigation or transactional work.
Paralegal
Full-timeYour Company is hiring a paralegal to support our attorneys and clients. You'll draft pleadings, letters and discovery, organize case files, track deadlines, prepare documents for filing and keep clients updated on their matters. We're a small firm, so you'll work directly with attorneys and see cases from intake to resolution. If you're precise, organized and calm under deadlines, we'd like to meet you.
What you’ll do
- Draft pleadings, motions, discovery requests and correspondence for attorney review
- Calendar court dates and filing deadlines, and send reminders well before they arrive
- File documents electronically with the court and arrange service on other parties
- Organize discovery, summarize records and depositions, and prepare exhibits
- Do legal and factual research and summarize what you find for the attorney
- Interview new clients, gather their documents and run conflict checks
- Keep clients informed about case status without giving legal advice
- Track your time accurately and help prepare invoices in our practice management software
What we’re looking for
- A paralegal certificate or degree, or equivalent law firm experience
- Experience in a law office, ideally in one of our practice areas
- Strong writing, proofreading and organization
- Comfortable with Microsoft Word, PDF tools and court e-filing systems
- Discreet with confidential client information
Nice to have
- A certification such as NALA's Certified Paralegal (CP) or NFPA's Registered Paralegal (RP)
- Experience with practice management software such as Clio or MyCase
- Trial preparation experience
- Fluency in a language our clients speak
Schedule
Full-time, Monday through Friday during business hours, with occasional longer days before trials or major filing deadlines.
What we offer
- Health insurance and a retirement plan
- Paid time off and firm holidays
- Paid continuing education and certification fees
- Direct work with attorneys and real responsibility on cases
Add your pay, location and schedule when you post. Jobs that show pay get noticeably more applicants.
Paralegal our company is hiring a paralegal to support our attorneys and clients. You'll draft pleadings, letters and discovery, organize case files, track deadlines, prepare documents for filing and keep clients updated on their matters. We're a small firm, so you'll work directly with attorneys and see cases from intake to resolution. If you're precise, organized and calm under deadlines, we'd like to meet you. What you’ll do • Draft pleadings, motions, discovery requests and correspondence for attorney review • Calendar court dates and filing deadlines, and send reminders well before they arrive • File documents electronically with the court and arrange service on other parties • Organize discovery, summarize records and depositions, and prepare exhibits • Do legal and factual research and summarize what you find for the attorney • Interview new clients, gather their documents and run conflict checks • Keep clients informed about case status without giving legal advice • Track your time accurately and help prepare invoices in our practice management software What we’re looking for • A paralegal certificate or degree, or equivalent law firm experience • Experience in a law office, ideally in one of our practice areas • Strong writing, proofreading and organization • Comfortable with Microsoft Word, PDF tools and court e-filing systems • Discreet with confidential client information Nice to have • A certification such as NALA's Certified Paralegal (CP) or NFPA's Registered Paralegal (RP) • Experience with practice management software such as Clio or MyCase • Trial preparation experience • Fluency in a language our clients speak Schedule Full-time, Monday through Friday during business hours, with occasional longer days before trials or major filing deadlines. What we offer • Health insurance and a retirement plan • Paid time off and firm holidays • Paid continuing education and certification fees • Direct work with attorneys and real responsibility on cases
Screening questions for a paralegal
Ask these on the application form to sort applicants quickly. They’re added automatically when you post this template.
- Do you have experience working as a paralegal or legal assistant?Yes / No · required
- Which practice areas have you worked in, and for how long?Short answer · required
- How do you track deadlines across many cases so nothing is missed?Paragraph
Paralegal interview questions
- Walk me through how you calendar a new case and make sure no deadline is missed.
- A client calls and asks whether they should accept a settlement offer. How do you respond?
- Which documents have you drafted on your own, and how much attorney revision did they usually need?
- How do you organize and track a large document production?
- Tell me about a time you caught a mistake before it reached the court or a client.
- Two attorneys need urgent work from you by the same afternoon. What do you do?
- Which court e-filing systems and legal software have you used?
Tips for hiring a paralegal
- Give finalists a short paid writing exercise, like drafting a demand letter or summarizing part of a deposition. Writing quality is the clearest sign of a strong paralegal.
- Check your state's rules before you post. California, for example, sets minimum education or experience requirements for anyone who uses the paralegal title.
- Ask references how the candidate handled deadlines and confidential information.
- Say whether the role is mostly litigation or transactional work. Experienced paralegals often specialize and skip vague posts.