Don’t have a law degree? No worries. You can still pursue a career in law-related fields. Even more, you can go part-time in these careers. However, you’ll need a working knowledge of either the law or the needs of full-time legal professionals to be effective in your work. Here are ten legal part-time jobs you can pursue in Idaho now.
1. Legal Assistant
A legal assistant (not to be confused with a paralegal) helps legal professionals do administrative work. They perform routine tasks ranging from administration, coordination, and customer service. As a legal assistant, you’ll help a legal professional, such as a bankruptcy attorney, manage client communications and services. For example, you may greet clients, manage emails and respond to live chats. Other administrative tasks you may handle include calendar management, client billing, and document organization.
As a legal assistant, you can opt to offer your services as a freelancer or virtually. Such a setup gives you more control over how many hours you give to it. Qualifications vary depending on the firm and scope of work. Most firms require a high school diploma, two years of paralegal studies, or a college-level legal assistance program. However, you must have strong administrative and communication skills.
A U.S Bureau of Labor and Statistics 2021 report shows paralegals and legal assistants enjoy a median pay of $56530 annually. Note that paralegals tend to earn slightly more than legal assistants. If you thrive in supporting other professionals, have strong communication skills, and enjoy the legal side, you’ll enjoy being a legal assistant. It’s one of the legal part-time jobs that are satisfying.
2. Law Firm Receptionist
Law firm receptionists may have roles overlapping with legal assistants. However, their main orientation is towards the clients, not lawyers. They greet clients, direct them to the right office and respond to emails. In some firms, a receptionist may serve snacks to lawyers, legal assistants, and paralegals. As a law firm receptionist, you also manage the switchboard, take messages, and keep the welcome bay attractive.
If you are gregarious, a good communicator, and presentable, being a law firm receptionist is one of Idaho’s most client-facing
legal part-time jobs. You don’t need specialized education or training to be a receptionist for law firms. However, even some background in law or business can be helpful. In addition, you need strong people skills, the ability to multitask, and the capacity for seamless communication.
Being a receptionist for an estate planning lawyer can be quite fulfilling. According to Zip Recruiter, you can expect to earn, on average, $17.40 per hour, slightly higher than the average hourly wage in Idaho. You can work part-time as you build a foundation for a long-term career in law.
3. Paralegal
Paralegals are often confused with legal assistants and secretaries. While their roles overlap, their roles are different. Paralegals do significant legal work on behalf of the lawyer. In the TV series, Rachel Zane—a paralegal—does extensive legal research and reviews documents for legal accuracy. If you want to handle more legal work than administrative tasks, being a paralegal can be one of the most fulfilling legal part-time jobs.
You may need a two-year associate degree or a bachelor’s in paralegal studies to be a paralegal. However, having formal training or certification is not mandatory in most states. The
American Bar Association states that there’s no mandatory certification program for paralegals anywhere in the U.S. Still, having some training in legal studies puts you ahead of other job applicants.
Probate lawyers and criminal attorneys may get the spotlight, but paralegals do the heavy lifting to help such legal professionals. For example, in one scenario in Suits, Rachel Zane does extensive legal research for a high-profile case. She discovers helpful information that helps the legal team win a case. Similarly, you can be part of something bigger by offering paralegal services.
4. Legal Aid Coordinator
There are multiple legal aid centers in Idaho serving people who can’t afford legal services. Legal professionals such as personal injury attorneys and divorce advocates volunteer to do pro-bono cases here. Thus, one of the legal part-time jobs you can consider coordinating these professionals. You’ll work with clients, legal aid attorneys, and social workers to ensure clients get justice. Your tasks may include managing cases, allocating resources, and doing community outreaches.
You’ll need a background in law to work as a legal aid coordinator. It can be a law degree or an associate’s degree. Some people who work full-time in legal aid centers are attorneys. Knowledge will help you understand legal procedures, court systems, and regulations. Yet you’ll need more than legal knowledge – good communication and interpersonal skills. Legal aids also require analytical skills to make fast decisions.
Working in a legal aid center can be quite fulfilling, even if you work part-time. The Legal Services Corporation says 63-70% of low-income Americans don’t get enough legal representation. You’d be part of something bigger by working with services directly targeting and serving such Americans. Besides, if you end up working full-time as a lawyer, working at a legal aid would look good on your resume.
5. Notary Public
A notary public is an individual authorized by the government to perform legal duties such as authentication and certification of documents. Notary Public is one of the easiest
legal part-time jobs to consider when you don’t have legal experience. You’ll act as an official government witness to prevent fraud by ensuring authentic documents. Not only will you witness signatures, but you will also guarantee that signatories are who they claim to be.
One of the positive sides of being a notary is you can work from any location. You don’t have to be in an office. For example, if an accident injury lawyer wants some documents notarized, they can call you to their office. You can join the Idaho Secretary of State Notary Training Course to be better equipped. Apart from a state-administered exam, you’ll need to be keen on details, have organization skills, and be a good communicator.
Unlike most auxiliary services in the legal industry, notaries don’t have to work under a supervisor, have a law degree or even be in a law firm. Some notaries work as protegees under an experienced and then break out independently. Depending on how flexible you are, you can craft a work schedule that works for you.
6. Court Clerk
Court clerks are administrative professionals who work within the court system. They help maintain accurate court records and manage court dockets. Their work supports judges, family lawyers, and other court personnel. You can work in state, district, municipal, and appellate courts in Idaho. As a court clerk, you’ll likely help in meticulous record keeping, which helps in promoting transparency in court systems.
Qualifications of court clerks depend on court jurisdictions and levels. Some courts require a high school diploma, while others require some administrative certifications. You’ll need some working knowledge of legal terminology, court proceedings, and an overall understanding of how courts work. On skills, computer proficiency will be put ahead of peers. Courts have embraced the digitization of documents and data entry. Other skills you’ll need include communication and organizational skills.
The judges and lawyers may be the stars of the shows, but there would be no show without court clerks. From case management to record keeping, court clerks make access to justice possible. They guide litigants on how to fill out court documents and other essential court information. Court clerk positions in Idaho may be one of the most competitive legal part-time jobs, so ensure you have a top-notch resume.
7. Title Examiner
A title examiner examines and researches property titles. They investigate historical records and public documents to determine information about a property. The investigation may reveal ownership history, legal restrictions, or any issues associated with the property. Using the investigation report, the title examiner prepares detailed reports. The title examiner may present the information to a criminal lawyer, property owner, insurance company, or other attorneys.
To be a successful title examiner, you’ll need a solid understanding of real estate laws and regulations governing title transfers. Since most of your work will be research, you’ll need superb research skills. They will help you dig deeper where other professionals haven’t and reveal any pertinent issues related to the property. As a title examiner, you’ll play a critical role in ensuring that property titles are clear, marketable, ready for sale, and without hidden issues. According to Zip Recruiter, you can expect to make $25.81 per hour.
8. Legal Content Writer
If you love writing, legal content writing may be one of Idaho’s most interesting legal part-time jobs. The good part is you can dash out of Idaho for a long vacation, and you’d still have a job—if you plan yourself well. A legal content writer helps firms market themselves through helpful, engaging content that ranks well on search engines. You don’t have to wait for firms to advertise jobs; you can pitch your services to law firms.
Most law firms don’t insist you have a legal background, although that helps. Instead, it would help if you were interested in legal terminology, common client needs, and content marketing. For example, if an insurance claim dispute attorney hires you, potential clients should discover them through your written content on Google. You can train for legal content writing online and get certifications like HubSpot.
Law firms operate in a very competitive market. With so many law firms in Idaho, many legal professionals depend on digital marketing experts to help them stay ahead. Even more, when people face legal challenges, their first stop is an online search before they can decide on a provider; If you are passionate about justice and writing, legal content writing offers the right mix.
9. Legal Transcriptionist
If you are oriented towards auditory skills, legal transcription is one of the legal part-time jobs you can consider pursuing in Idaho. As a legal transcriptionist, your main work is transcribing legal documents. It involves listening to audio recordings and legal proceedings and converting them to text. Legal transcriptionists also format and proofread documents for grammar errors and formatting issues.
As a transcriptionist, you can work with courts and legal institutions. However, it’s possible to work with transcription companies on remote jobs. If you are looking for a part-time job, such as working approach can help you manage your work hours. Since legal proceedings include sensitive information, so you need to maintain confidentiality. You also need excellent typing skills and listening skills.
Legal transcriptions promote access to justice in multiple ways. First, they ensure accurate documentation by capturing essential details. Such detailed documents help legal professionals with research. For example, a personal injury lawyer can review case details and previous proceedings when preparing for a case. Hence, legal transcriptionists save time and enhance efficiency.
10. Compliance Specialist
A compliance specialist ensures that individuals and organizations comply with laws, regulations, and policies. For example, they may work with social security disability attorneys to ensure their clients’ employees comply with regulations. As a compliance specialist, you’ll work in various fields, such as finance, healthcare, and manufacturing, to ensure law adherence.
A compliance specialist works with preset standards to monitor and assess compliance. They may assess processes and practices to identify non-compliance. Compliance specialists may also offer training and workshops to educate employees on current regulations. To be an effective compliance specialist, you must have a working knowledge of standards and regulations. For example, you need knowledge of good manufacturing practices (GMP). You must also demonstrate high integrity standards and the ability to communicate clearly and firmly.
To bring it all together, one can pursue plenty of legal part-time jobs in Idaho. You don’t have to compromise on your personality because these jobs are so diverse, even for the finickiest job seeker. You can work with lawyers, courts, and even companies. You can greet clients with a gregarious, welcoming attitude or type away in a cabin—the choice is yours.
