text: I have nearly completed my training as a Certified Legal Assistant, so maybe I can answer part of that... Some basic skills you'll need are computer literacy, very good writing skills, above average reading comprehension, communication, written and oral and the ability to keep your mouth shut (You'll be required not to discuss cases with anyone who does not NEED to know, not even your friends, family or colleagues not working on the same case). Pre Law can't hurt, if it's available, and if a class is offerred on counselling, the interview skills you'd learn would be very valuable. You'll need to know a great deal about law in your state and how to research case-law. Your exact duties would depend on your employer and what area of the law you work in...for contract law, you would need an excellent eye for detail, good communication skills (Before a contract can be written, you must understand what the parties to that contract want and what they are willing to give.) and quite a lot of patience because if you are sloppy in writing a contract and your boss fails to thoroughly read it, it could cost your client.\nFor Litigation work, Criminal law or Appellate Law, Criminal and Civil, you'll to get very good at finding relevant case law and become a crackerjack interviewer. Other specialties highlight other skill sets.\nAs to salary, that varies broadly depending on where you live, what area of law you work in and what duties you perfom, but it is a living wage and often a very good living wage.\nWhat employers are looking for is diligence,reliability, attention to detail, eagerness to learn, good ethical sense and professionalism.\nIt can be a very stressful environment, particularly in a firm that encourages a quota of billable hours and some of the work is incredibly tedious (Summarizing a trial transcript is really snore city, but it's vital that such work be done well) but if the Law calls to you, you'll love it.\nGood luck.