Leveraging her project management and customer service background, Morgan Chanel most recently worked as a legal assistant at Rowe Law Firm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Morgan Chanel performed duties such as drafting legal documents and organizing files in the fast-paced personal injury law firm.
High-volume working environments are hectic. If you are about to join a law firm with a fast-paced work environment, preparing for the upcoming role will help you fit in quickly and perform to your potential.
Start by educating yourself about the firm and its work culture. Specifically, familiarize yourself with the file organization and preparation processes and any software systems used collaboratively. You will also want to learn as much as you can about the specific field of law the firm focuses on. Is it personal injury, criminal law, immigration law, or family law? Brush up on your legal knowledge of that specific area by studying some of the most relevant statutes. This will give you an early advantage when doing legal research.
When you do join the firm, identify the exact role you are expected to play, who you report to, and who your team members are. In a fast-paced environment, you won’t have a long grace period to settle in and there probably won’t be a lot of time for on-the-job training. Plan a schedule beforehand covering how you will perform the work set out for you. Align your timelines carefully with project deadlines, and monitor your performance continually. If the firm offers training classes, take them to improve your ability to meet goals proficiently and on time.
