You’ve All Wondered…So What Is It?
Legal Secretary. Some have heard the title, some haven’t. So, what is a legal secretary?
law.yourdictionary.com defines a legal secretary as “A secretary employed by a lawyer or a law firm, whose expertise includes the typing and filing of contracts, pleadings, or other legal documents.”
The key word here is expertise. One cannot simply decide to go apply to be a legal secretary without proper training first.
Education Portal’s post, Legal Secretary Duties and Job Description, provides an excellent summary of the basic duties of a legal secretary.
“Legal Secretary Duties and Job Description
Legal secretaries perform clerical duties at law firms and other legal offices. Unlike regular secretaries, legal secretaries require extensive knowledge of legal proceedings and documentation. Most workers complete legal secretary training programs prior to employment. Read on for more information about legal secretary duties and job description details.
Job Duties of a Legal Secretary
Some of the duties of a legal secretary include overseeing all clerical tasks that are necessary for keeping a law firm running efficiently, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov). Legal secretaries often prepare documents, including legal briefs, court subpoenas, spreadsheets and other office-related letters. Many legal secretaries also organize and maintain all legal files kept on-site. Some legal secretaries also maintain electronic-filing databases.
Legal secretaries often provide lawyers with direct assistance, such as helping with research for cases, gathering necessary documents for trials and submitting paperwork to courthouses. Other duties may include scheduling client appointments, answering calls, taking notes during legal meetings and maintaining the firm’s legal research references.
Job Skills
Since most law firms and legal offices deal with multiple clients simultaneously, a legal secretary requires the skills to multitask effectively. Strong organizational skills and attention to detail are also essential for this career. Computer skills are required since many legal documents are created and altered electronically. Good communication skills are also necessary to instruct staff members and to address clients. Legal secretaries need to be familiar with legal terminology and government regulations.
Job Description
Legal secretaries can work in several types of office environments, including legal firms, corporate legal offices, nonprofit organizations and government offices. Most legal secretaries converse directly with attorneys, clerical personnel, courtroom staff members, clients, expert witnesses and commercial vendors. Legal secretaries can also teach new lawyers and paralegals about protocols for filling out and submitting courtroom documents.
Education Requirements
Although the BLS showed that regular secretaries enter the profession with little-to-no post secondary training, employers of legal secretaries prefer applicants who have completed specialized coursework related to the field. Legal secretary certificate and diploma programs are available, and they include such coursework as legal office procedures, civil litigation and legal terminology. Most programs also teach students how to use legal technology, including word-processing programs, court-filing computer systems and transcription software.”
How are the legal secretaries in your office? Contact me if you’re interested in information on continuing education programs for legal secretaries and law office support staff and we will have your staff assisting your lawyers in no time!