Skills & Competencies for Paralegal I

JOB SUMMARY for Paralegal I

Assists and supports attorneys with research and document preparation for court proceedings and legal transactions.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES for Paralegal I

Utilizes a variety of sources such as statutes, recorded judicial decisions, legal articles, and legal codes to research and analyze legal topics. Drafts and edits legal documents such as briefs, pleadings, motions, and contracts. Conducts fact-finding, data collection, and analysis used to prepare statements and arguments. Assists attorneys with depositions, interviews, discovery, and investigations. Manages, organizes, and archives documents with software tools and technology. Applies specialized legal terminology appropriately in documents.

Paralegal I SALARY RANGE

BASE 50%
$68,189
TOTAL 50%
$70,477
Job Level
P01
Job Code
LE11000024
Education/Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Reports To
Attorney

Paralegal I Skills and Competencies List

Proficiency Levels and Behavioural Indicators
Salary.com identifies five increasing levels of proficiency for each skill/competency. Some jobs require only a relatively low level of proficiency in each skill/competency, while other jobs will require a more advanced level of proficiency in the same skill/competency. These levels rate the degree of proficiency (skill level, expertise) we expect the incumbent to perform in the given skill/competency for the given job. Note that we intentionally do not associate timeframes or years of experience in performing the skill/competency because that can be misleading. Proficiency levels identify what the incumbent knows and can do rather than how long they have been doing it. Also, note that the proficiency levels are cumulative, e.g., a level 4 proficiency implies the ability to perform all the behaviors at the lower levels.
Check each Paralegal I skill and competencie below to view definitions.

10 general skills or competencies (Job family competencies) for Paralegal I

1 Job Family Competencies – Document Management
Proficiency Level -1
Skill definition-Capturing, tracking, storing, and retrieving digital information to organize files, improve accuracy, and provide easy access to documents.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Describes the importance and purpose of document management in retrieving relevant work documents.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Compiles documents for scanning, indexing, and uploading to web-based management applications.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Handles the scanning and uploading of mailed documents into your organization's document systems.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Facilitates document management efforts to improve information workflow and data security.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Develops key performance indicators of document management to evaluate and drive documentation metric success.
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2 Job Family Competencies – Proofreading
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Reviewing and examining text to make the content error-free and communicate the correct message to the target audience.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Explains the differences between proofreading and editing.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Follows a checking list to perform proofreading for the content.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Performs proofreading to produce documents in a deadline-driven environment.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Oversees the proofreading process to improve the content's overall quality.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Creates proofreading content with an emphasis on business writing to articulate client value.
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3 Paralegal I - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Paralegal I
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Paralegal I
Proficiency Level - 5

8 soft skills or competencies (core competencies) for Paralegal I

1 Core Competencies – Gathering Information
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Accumulating necessary information from various resources to clarify the situation or make an informed business decision.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Lists the principles and procedures of gathering information.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Determines the source of information to verify its reliability.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Uses survey results to identify areas that need improvement within our business.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Recommends improvement of our business's records retention program.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Establishes procedures for gathering information to anticipate future customer or business needs.
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2 Core Competencies – Knowledge Management
Proficiency Level -1
Skill definition-The process of identifying, using, sharing, and maintaining an organization's intellectual assets, best practices, product innovations, etc. to improve organizational performance.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Explains the differences among data, information, and knowledge.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Prepares brochures and presentation materials for related training sessions.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Suggests content and technological enhancements for knowledge management system improvement.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Integrates knowledge management systems with other IT and business systems to drive collaboration.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Leads the development of a knowledge management strategy and associated implementation plans.
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3 Paralegal I - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Paralegal I
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Paralegal I
Proficiency Level - 5

Summary of Paralegal I skills and competencies

There are 0 hard skills for Paralegal I.
10 general skills for Paralegal I, Document Management, Proofreading, Commercial Law, etc.
8 soft skills for Paralegal I, Gathering Information, Knowledge Management, Learning Agility, etc.
While the list totals 18 distinct skills, it's important to note that not all are required to be mastered to the same degree. Some skills may only need a basic understanding, whereas others demand a higher level of expertise.
For instance, as a Paralegal I, he or she needs to be proficient in Gathering Information, be proficient in Knowledge Management, and be proficient in Learning Agility.

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