Social Security Legal Assistant
A Social Security Legal Assistant is also referred to as a social security paralegal. These differences in nomenclature are found across different states and employers but the job profile for such professionals is essentially the same. Most of the private legal firms searching for Social Security Legal Assistants seek individuals who have a paralegal certificate along with some degree of experience. The emphasis is on finding legal assistants who present expertise in field work, office work, research or preferably, a blend of all.
Paralegals with a bachelor’s degree in legal courses have a definite advantage. This is because a bachelor’s course is deemed more comprehensive than a short-term paralegal course. Students passing from private universities offering shorter paralegal courses need some degree of starter’s experience to get acquainted with the social services niche. This is preferably gained from a social security office so that they are well-versed with various social security laws and regulations.
Certifications
Finding direct employment in social security offices is not easy and being absorbed as a trainee, temporary help or an intern is the norm for most Social Security Legal Assistants starting their career. In terms of having certifications of repute, Social Security Legal Assistants usually vouch for three types of certifications. This includes certifications issued by:
- National Association of Legal Assistants
- National Federation of Paralegal Associations
- American Alliance of Paralegals
The kind of courses conducted across these institutions and their overall reputation is almost the same but some of these agencies put forth a qualification exam. Among these, the Certified Paralegal Exam of the National Association of Legal Assistants is known to be a bit demanding.
Professional Duties of Social Security Legal Assistants
Job duties of Social Security Legal Assistants are usually undefined and can blend a wide range of roles. This essentially includes handling the back-office work of the legal office and client-handling on a regular basis. This invariably includes communicating with the clients that includes primary screening, interviews, home visits and follow-ups.
For their office, Social Security Legal Assistants are asked to visit the court, seek testimonies from witnesses, schedule meetings with court clerks, extract medical records, get updated personal information of clients and take upon extensive research work that can include spending hours on journals and manuals.
Social Security Legal Assistants might be started as generalized assistants in the office. This is usually done to give them some time to adjust to the workplace demands. Here, they are required to take upon more regular duties like organizing the emails of attorneys, electronic file organization, scanning medical records, indexing court pleadings and handling official correspondence on behalf of the firm.
A Social Security Paralegal might be required to visit other social security offices to get past medical history records of the client along with researching his employment history. Sometimes, this includes working in coherence with agencies handling prison or felony records or visiting healthcare centers.
Specialized Social Security Legal Assistants
Sometimes, Social Security Legal Assistants are sought in specialized niches. For instance, medical insurance facilities and reimbursements for the disabled is a highly debated and complex segment of social security benefits. Here, Social Security Legal Assistants who specialize in Social Security Disability Law are preferred. Sometimes, a legal assistant might be required to represent clients in court hearings. However, this takes a more serious note when disability hearings are involved. Such hearings involve more administrative regulations. They are usually held before Administrative Law Judges and paralegals need to be very particular about what part of the claimant’s profile they are arguing or representing.
Employment Overview
Legal service providers and executive branches of the federal government have often emerged as the biggest recruiters of Social Security Legal Assistants, closely followed by state and local government departments. Private legal firms prefer slightly experienced Social Security paralegal to gain from their experience and understanding of the social services niche. The most premium jobs for such professionals include profiles offered within government organizations like various hierarchies of the Social Security Administration or state court-based profiles.
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