Herzing Blog

Cheryl Michaud’s original plan was to become a teacher. But when she was partway through her education degree, a change in her personal circumstances made her realize she needed to get job-ready more quickly. So she enrolled in the legal assistant program at Herzing College.

That was back in 2004. Since then, she has supported lawyers in both small and midsize firms, worked as an executive assistant to a couple of chartered accountants, assisted a group of provincial court judges, and played a key role in the legal services department of city government.

Along the way, she kind of fell into office management, developing systems and processes to keep operations running smoothly. That eventually led her to management positions supervising other legal assistants. Today, as part of her position she’s in charge of hiring and training assistants for a firm that offers legal support in more than 20 different areas of law.

We interviewed Cheryl recently to learn more about her career journey and what advice she has for people considering this line of work. Read on for the highlights.

Updated January 2023

Eager to work in the legal field without spending years in university? A legal assistant career may be the ideal alternative.

Legal assistants provide the kind of essential support every lawyer needs. They handle a wide range of tasks, from conducting research and preparing documents to scheduling meetings and communicating with clients.

But like any job, working as a legal assistant has both advantages and drawbacks. So you should see the whole picture before making any decisions.

In this post, we describe the major pros and cons of a legal assistant career. Find out what to expect in this role and see if it makes sense for you.

Updated January 2023

If you’re interested in law, good with people, detail-oriented and organized, legal assistant could be an ideal career path.

It’s an excellent time to become a legal assistant in Manitoba. Strong employment growth and waves of retirements are creating jobs in this field in every part of the province. 

You don’t need a university degree, and college legal assistant programs are relatively quick. 

So, how do you get started? What’s involved in becoming a legal assistant?  And most importantly, how do you know if this career is right for you? 

Photo: Nicole Page, Legal Assistant instructor at Herzing College Winnipeg

Looking for a legal career that doesn't require years of university study? Have excellent communication and organizational skills, and can see yourself thriving in a busy law office?

Legal assistant could be the profession you're looking for. Legal assistants work under lawyer supervision, providing valuable support with case preparation, drafting documents, scheduling clients, and running the legal office.

They work at courthouses, private law firms, real estate firms, corporate legal departments, and government agencies. You can specialize in a particular area of law, or work at a firm that provides services in several legal areas.

Are you a good fit for this role? Should you consider legal assistant training?

This week, we interviewed Nicole Page to find out what is involved in becoming a legal assistant and what to expect at work.