The law also requires that anyone using the title Legal Assistant work under the direct supervision of a licensed attorney. Some offices are large, with several attorneys, and the legal assistant may work with one or several of the attorneys. Client contact may be extensive or not, depending on the practice. Some law offices have only a single attorney and a legal assistant.

Legal assistant responsibilities can include office management, reception, and drafting of legal documents for approval by the employing attorney. Law practices may specialize in civil or criminal litigation, transactional work such as real estate and financial dealings, family law, estates and probate, or taxation issues.

Legal assistants do not give legal advice.

Legal assistant skills are also suited for employment in business and government agencies. Responsibilities in such settings include interpreting rules and regulations and monitoring compliance on behalf of the employer.

The types of businesses and organizations that hire legal assistants include:

• Law offices, from sole practitioners to Sacramento's largest law firms
• Government agencies, such as the Office of the Attorney General, the Office of the U. S. Trustee, and the Franchise Tax Board
• Courts, such as the Sacramento Superior and Municipal Courts

• Corporations, such as Proctor & Gamble and Pacific Gas & Electric
• Financial Institutions, such as Western Farm Credit Bank and The Money Store
• Insurance companies, such as Claims Management, Progressive Insurance Company, and CIGNA
• Land development firms, such as Steel & Nelson and Dunmore Homes
• Health care organizations, such as Eskaton Health Corporation and Mercy Healthcare Sacramento
• Correctional institutions, such as the Sacramento County Jail
• Professional associations, such as the California Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, the California Restaurant Association, and the California Trial Lawyers Association