Get to Know Us | Karoliina Kivelä, Senior Legal Assistant, Employment, Helsinki

How did you end up working as a legal assistant at Hannes Snellman?

I joined Hannes Snellman as an assistant trainee in 2005. Back then, I knew very little about law firms or the legal world in general, especially from a company perspective. To be honest, I did not expect this job to be that interesting and exciting, but I was proven wrong, as I am still here.

What is it like to work as a legal assistant for the whole Employment team?

The Employment group is pretty small compared to some other teams at Hannes Snellman; currently the core team consists of five lawyers and one associate trainee. Thus, I usually know what is going on in the whole team and have quite a clear picture of the matters they are handling.

In addition to the Employment team, I assist Juha, who is a partner in our Real Estate team, which brings a nice variety to my working days and gives me a chance to see another side of the office.

What kind of skills are required from a good legal assistant?

In my opinion, a legal assistant should be efficient, diligent, precise, and proactive. Excellent IT skills are a must, and so are good communication skills in Finnish and English (as I work at the Helsinki office).

A legal assistant has to be able to tolerate stress and to adapt to different situations and personalities.

A good memory and patience do not hurt either.

What would you say are the best and the most challenging things in a legal assistant’s job?

Every day is different, which is both one of the best and one of the most challenging things in my job. One e-mail or telephone call can change the course of the day.

I have amazing colleagues I can always count on, which is definitely the very best thing.

What would you say to someone considering working as a legal assistant at a law firm?

Go for it! If you are not afraid of work and challenges and want a satisfying job, a law firm may be the place for you.

Want to know more about working at Hannes Snellman? Please pay a visit to our Careers section.