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Vocational training in Germany (Ausbildung)

Lawyer's assistant (Rechtsanwaltsfachangestellter/Rechtsanwaltsfachangestellte)

Rechtsanwaltsfachangestellter / Rechtsanwaltsfachangestellte

You support lawyers in a law firm: case files, deadlines, client contact and fees. A 3-year training, in a legal occupation without being a lawyer.

Check my eligibility →Occupation brochure

LevelBaccalaureaterequired

Duration3 years36 months

GermanB2required level

Pay during trainingPaidthroughout the training

The occupation in 30 seconds

What a lawyer's assistant does

They work in a law firm: they keep case files and diaries, monitor deadlines, welcome clients, prepare legal letters and calculate fees and costs.

Welcome

Receive the firm's clients, inform them and organise appointments and meetings.

Follow files

Keep case files, monitor deadlines and prepare civil procedure documents and letters.

Calculate

Draw up fees and court costs, manage payments and the accounts of each case.

This occupation is for you if…

you like law and the precision of legal texts
you are organised and meet deadlines to the letter
you can stay discreet about clients' affairs
you enjoy writing and communicating with clients

Less suitable if…

you do not like office work and written files
you struggle with the pressure of deadlines to meet
you want to plead in court yourself

Day to day

A typical day in the workshop

08:30

Post and the firm's diarySort the post, check the lawyer's diary and spot the deadlines that are approaching.

09:30

Welcoming a clientReceive a client, explain how things will proceed and open a file with their details.

11:00

Drafting a letterPrepare a letter or a procedural document following the lawyer's instructions.

13:30

Calculating feesDraw up the statement of fees and costs of a closed case for the client.

15:00

Electronic exchange with the courtPractise sending a document through the electronic legal channel and checking it was sent.

16:30

Filing and confidentialityTidy the files, respect data protection and prepare the next day's work.

Skills and qualities

What you will learn, what is expected of you

Technical skills

Case file managementDeadline monitoringCivil law and procedureFees and costsElectronic exchangesProfessional English

Personal qualities

AccuracyDiscretionOrganisation skillsPeople skillsTeam spirit

The training

How the Ausbildung works

In Germany you learn by working: this is the “dual system”. You are an employee of a company and a student at a vocational school (Berufsschule) at the same time.

3 to 4 days a week at the company

1–2 days school

Year 1

Office and clients

Organisation of the firm
Welcoming and client relations
Basic accounting

Year 2

Law and procedure

Civil law, commercial law
Civil procedure
Intermediate exam

Year 3

Fees and enforcement

Fees and court costs
Enforcement
Final exam

Exams and qualification

An intermediate exam (Zwischenprüfung) takes place at the start of the 2nd year. The final exam has five papers: the firm's business processes (15%), client care (15%), law applied to a lawyer's work (30%), fees and costs (30%), economics and society (10%). You obtain the certificate as a lawyer's assistant (Rechtsanwaltsfachangestellter), issued under the authority of the chamber of lawyers (Rechtsanwaltskammer).

Requirements

What you need to apply

Education level

Baccalaureate level is required.

German level

The required level is B2. Good technical vocabulary for the trade is a real plus.

Physical fitness

An office job, mostly sedentary, with contact with clients and work on screen and on case files during the day.

Documents to prepare

CV and cover letter in German
Translated baccalaureate diplomas and transcripts
German B2 level certificate

The reality of the job

Advantages and difficulties

Advantages

A legal occupation reached through training
Qualification recognised throughout Germany
Contact with clients and courts
Further training possible towards the Rechtsfachwirt

Difficulties

Deadlines to be met to the letter
Difficult legal vocabulary in German
Sedentary work, a lot of case files
No collective agreement: pay varies

After the training

Where it can lead

Straight away

Legal assistant in a firm

A post in a law firm, keeping case files, deadlines and client relations in order.

With experience

Rechtsfachwirt

Further qualification at bachelor level, after training and 2 years of practice, taken before the chamber of lawyers.

Longer term

Ongoing specialisation

Specialise through further training in an area of law, depending on the firm where you work.

In the same category

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See all trainings in this category →

Your pathway with Campus Germany

We are by your side from day one until you arrive in Germany

Four steps to move forward, all run by our own structures.

Check my eligibility

Take the test online or at the office

The eligibility test is done online on our website, or by visiting our Douala office directly.

Talk to an advisor

Talk to our team

Germany: +49 (0) 7033 694 18 80
Cameroon: +237 622 20 81 64

Prepare your German

DZK, our language centre

Deutschzentrum KAGEDEV (DZK) is our own language centre in Douala. Outside Douala: partner language centres, call us to find the nearest one.

Get the contract

AZUFA is always us

AZUFA is our platform: it connects you with German companies that recruit apprentices and follows your application through to the training contract.

From German A1 to the first day of training in Germany

Each step is run by one of our structures. You keep the same contact from start to finish.

1
Check my eligibility
The test is done online on our website or at our Douala office.
Run by Campus Germany
2
Talk to an advisor
Review your profile, your wishes and the chosen occupation.
Run by Campus Germany
3
Learn German, from A1 to B2
Courses adapted to your starting level, up to the required B2 level. In Douala at our own language centre; elsewhere, with our partner centres.
Run by DZK
4
Prepare the application file
CV and cover letter in German, translated baccalaureate diplomas and transcripts, B2 level certificate.
Run by Campus Germany
5
Find the company and sign the training contract
We connect you with German companies that recruit apprentices, and follow your application through to the contract.
Run by AZUFA
6
Prepare the visa and paperwork
Support to gather the documents and complete the administrative steps.
Run by Campus Germany
7
Prepare your departure and settling in
Travel, housing and first steps in Germany: we prepare you before you leave.
Run by KAGEDEV e.V.
8
First day of training in Germany
You arrive prepared and supported, with a team that has known you since day one.
Run by AZUFA

Stay informed

Join our channels to receive new offers, session dates and advice. These are announcement channels: no private conversations.

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Our structures for this occupation

AZUFA
Our platform for recruiting apprentices and skilled staff from Africa: matching with German companies through to the training contract.

Deutschzentrum KAGEDEV (DZK)
Our own German language centre, in Douala. Outside Douala: partner centres.

Training offers for this occupation

No offer is open here at the moment. Browse apprenticeship offers on AZUFA, or receive an e-mail as soon as a partner company recruits.

See offers on AZUFA →

Lawyer's assistant (Rechtsanwaltsfachangestellter/Rechtsanwaltsfachangestellte)

Occupation brochure

Take this sheet with you

A 5-page document to read offline or show your family: the occupation, the training, the pay and the whole pathway, from German A1 to the first day of training.

Download the brochure (PDF)

Frequently asked questions

You may be wondering…

What German level is required?

Level B2 is required. You do not need perfect German, but you must be able to follow lessons and understand safety instructions.

How long does the training last?

36 months, i.e. 3 years.

Am I paid during the training?

Yes. You receive a monthly pay throughout the training, and it generally increases each year.

Where can I take the eligibility test?

Online on our website, or directly at our Douala office.

Where can I learn German?

In Douala, at our language centre DZK. Elsewhere, at our partner language centres: call us to find the nearest one.

Who issues the lawyer's assistant qualification?

The competent chamber of lawyers (Rechtsanwaltskammer) organises the final exam and issues the certificate, not the chamber of commerce.

Is the training pay set by a collective agreement?

There is no collective agreement for this occupation. Pay is therefore set in the training contract with the firm and can vary from one firm to another.

Ready to find out whether this occupation is for you?

Take the test online or come and see us at the office. We are by your side from day one until you arrive in Germany.

Check my eligibility →Write on WhatsApp

Germany+49 (0) 7033 694 18 80

Cameroon+237 622 20 81 64

Douala office : Rond-point Maetur Bonamoussadi – Nice Cream building (4th floor), opposite the COGENI hardware store, Douala, Cameroon

Check my eligibility WhatsApp

Take the test WhatsApp