Legal Secretary Career

For those people who are fascinated with anything involving the legal field, and don’t mind working behind the scenes, a legal secretary career may be the choice to make when considering job opportunities in this area. This is a very satisfying way to get involved in a field that is both fast paced and interesting without having to attend many years of law school.

What is a Legal Secretary?

A legal secretary is the person who carries out the “behind-the-scene” work in any law office. He or she is seldom seen, yet the employment contribution that the legal secretary makes to the operation renders him or her invaluable to the running of the office on a daily basis. Without the services of this employee, no law office setting would ever be able to run as smoothly as it appears to.

Legal Secretary Job Duties

The duties of a legal secretary are numerous, and may encompass anything from aiding the attorney with legal documents, recordkeeping of all case files, maintaining and executing legal documentation, collecting client information, and filling out pertinent forms. He or she may also be responsible for client correspondence, requests from the court for certain information, and will also schedule appointments, make phone calls, and keep the client abreast of procedures.

Legal Secretary Skills

Having a successful legal secretary career requires a high degree of organizational skills. Time management is crucial in a fast paced legal office, and being able to multi-task is vital. It is extremely important that a legal secretary possess good communication skills when dealing with the client so that information is recorded and reported correctly, as well as being able to effectively communicate with the other employees in the office.

Legal Secretary Education

Although no formal education is needed to become a legal secretary, it certainly helps to have a college education that has some type of legal background. There are courses that can be taken that will help familiarize someone with legal terminology, and procedures pertaining to the legal field. Experience in the field is also a criterion for obtaining a job as a legal secretary other than entry level.

Legal Secretary Salary

The level of experience and education a person has will actually determine the salary of the legal secretary. For those who are new to the occupation, a yearly salary will average $25,000 to $28,000. This rate would grow considerably after a few years on the job, and may range from $45,000 to $65,000 a year. Long term legal secretaries have been known to earn in excess of $75,000 annually.

Legal Secretary Job Outlook

Legal secretary positions are numerous and are expected to grow in abundance during the future years, so prospects look quite good. The field of a legal secretary career is competitive, however, which is why it is important to obtain an education that has some law background. This will enable anyone seeking employment to be a step ahead of the competition for an open position.

Legal secretaries have an inside view of the workings of a law office. This career can be a great choice for those who thrive in a fast paced working environment, love being detail-oriented, and find that multi-tasking is what they do best.