Legal Secretaries
At a Glance
- Perform clerical duties in law offices
- Regularly interact with clients
- May work overtime to meet deadlines
- Train on the job
- Meet strict daily deadlines
Career summary
Legal secretaries perform clerical duties in law offices.Legal secretaries help lawyers prepare and process legal documents, such as appeals and motions. They fill out forms for clients, such as accident reports. Most listen to tape recordings of letters and memos the attorneys dictate. They transcribe this information and create other legal documents.
Legal secretaries make photocopies of legal documents, letters, and other case material. They put copies of all information in clients' case files, and make sure documents are arranged in a logical order.
Legal secretaries interact with clients in many ways. They:
- Greet clients in law offices
- Answer phones
- Schedule appointments
- Set up court appearances
Legal secretaries attend meetings to take notes. This includes client interviews, hearings, or depositions. They also mail, fax, or arrange for delivery of legal documents to clients, witnesses, and court officials.
Legal secretaries help lawyers find relevant information for cases. They search for laws, legal rules, and court decisions that apply to their cases. They collect information, such as employment, medical, and criminal records. They organize all of this information for lawyers to review and approve.
Legal secretaries have more duties in larger offices. They may supervise staff. They may also organize and order new books for the law library.
Related careers
This career is part of the Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security cluster of careers.
Related careers include:
- Bookkeeping and Accounting Clerks
- Brokerage Clerks
- Court Clerks
- Court Reporters
- Executive Secretaries
- Health Information Technicians
- Insurance Policy and Claims Clerks
- Law Clerks
- License Clerks
- Paralegals
- Receptionists
- Secretaries
- Title Examiners and Searchers
Job duties
Task list
The following list of tasks is specific to legal secretaries.
- Prepare and process legal documents and papers, such as summonses, subpoenas, complaints, appeals, and motions.
- Listen to tapes made by lawyers. Transcribe information into memos, letters, and other documents.
- Complete forms, such as accident reports, for clients.
- Welcome clients and answer telephone calls.
- Photocopy documents and put them in case files.
- Assist lawyers in collecting information, such as employment, medical, and other records.
- Schedule court appearances and make appointments for clients.
- Mail, fax, or arrange for delivery of legal correspondence.
- Attend legal meetings, such as depositions.
- Review legal publications and perform database searches. Find laws and court decisions relevant to cases.
- Submit articles and information from searches to lawyers for review.
- Organize and maintain law libraries. Use reference books to check on legal procedures.
- May supervise other staff.
Common work activities
Legal secretaries perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.
- Organize, plan, and prioritize work
- Use computers
- Get information needed to do the job
- Perform administrative tasks
- Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
- Establish and maintain relationships
- Document and record information
- Evaluate information against standards
- Communicate with people outside the organization
- Process information
- Update and use job-related knowledge
- Identify objects, actions, and events
- Make decisions and solve problems
- Analyze data or information
Work requirements
Working conditions
In a typical work setting, legal secretaries:
Interpersonal relationships
- Have a high level of interaction with clients and staff.
- Communicate by telephone, letters, memos, and in person on a daily basis. They also use e-mail, but less often.
Physical work conditions
- Often work indoors. However, they may occasionally go outdoors to deliver documents or attend meetings at other firms.
- Work near others. They may share the same office space or general work area with other secretaries.
Work performance
- Must be very exact in their work. Errors could cause serious problems for clients or their cases.
- Repeat the same physical or mental activities.
- Often make decisions that affect clients and the lawyers they work with. They make most decisions without consulting a supervisor first.
- Set most of their daily tasks and goals without consulting a supervisor first. They often use calendars of impending cases to determine their schedule.
- Abide by strict daily deadlines.
Hours/travel
- May work full time or part time. Most work full time.
- Generally work a set schedule.
- May work nights or weekends to meet deadlines.
Physical demands
Legal secretaries frequently:
- Sit for long periods of time.
- Repeat the same movements.
It is important for legal secretaries to be able to:
- See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
- Understand the speech of another person.
- Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
It is not as important, but still necessary, for legal secretaries to be able to:
- See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
- Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
- Make fast, repeated movements of fingers, hands, and wrists.
Skills and abilities
Legal secretaries need to:
Communicate
- Understand spoken information.
- Understand written information.
- Write clearly so other people can understand.
- Read and understand work-related materials.
- Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
- Listen to others and ask questions.
Reason and problem solve
- Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
- Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
- Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
- Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
- Develop rules that group items in various ways.
Manage oneself, people, time, and things
- Manage the time of self and others.
- Check how well one is learning or doing something.
Work with people
- Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
- Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
Education and training
Educational programs
The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.
Programs of study directly related to this occupation
Other programs of study to consider
- Administrative Assistant and Secretarial Science
- Executive Secretarial Studies
- Office Management
- Office Support
- Paralegal Studies
Training
To work as a legal secretary, you typically need to:
- have a high school diploma or equivalent; and
- complete moderate-term, on-the-job training.
Education after high school
Legal secretaries must have at least a high school diploma and some office training. Most legal secretaries have formal training beyond high school. Business schools, vocational schools, and community colleges offer one- and two-year programs. Two-year programs are often preferred by law firms.
You need basic office skills such as accounting, word processing, filing, and recordkeeping. In addition, you need excellent spelling, punctuation, and grammar. You also need to know legal terminology and law office procedures.
Work experience
Some people prepare for this occupation through work experience. You can work your way up through clerical jobs at legal offices, learning new skills at each one. Eventually, you have enough knowledge to move into a secretarial position.
On-the-job training
New graduates may work under the guidance of experienced legal secretaries or paralegals. You work independently and on more difficult tasks as you gain knowledge and experience.
Because of the fast changing nature of this field, employers may offer training in the newest office technologies and software. They may also train you on their particular policies and methods of handling cases and files. Training may last several months, up to one year.
Helpful high school courses
You should take a general high school curriculum that meets the state's graduation requirements. You will be required to take both math and science classes to graduate.
Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:
- Accounting
- Computer Applications
- Office Procedures
The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.
You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.
Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.
Things to know
Employers require legal secretaries to have a high school diploma or equivalent. Some employers prefer legal secretaries who have formal training in the field. However, many employers will hire experienced secretaries who they think can quickly learn the legal aspects of the job.
Employers look for applicants who are familiar with computers. They also look for applicants who have good written and oral communication skills. Decision-making and organizational skills are also an asset.
Most employers require a minimum typing speed of 50 to 80 words per minute (wpm), with accuracy and familiarity with legal terminology. Punctuation, grammar, and vocabulary skills are essential. Ability to deal with the public and to accept responsibility is also important. Knowledge of common office equipment and software, such as word processing and spreadsheets, and electronic document filing, is helpful. Some employers require applicants to be bilingual.
Certification is available through NALS: The Association for Legal Professionals. Contact information can be found in the Other Resources section of this description.
Tips
Some employers retrain their employees through brief paralegal training programs.
Costs to workers
After entering this field, workers may wish to join a professional association. Dues may be paid by the employer as an added benefit. Business attire is usually required.
#Verified certification still available from above mentioned association. Typing speed range required also still seems accurate, 3/28/14 cj. Certs still available; removed reference to shorthand & added in electronic document filing, 4/16/18 cj. Increased typing speed range based on online search for info on this 4/16/19 cj.
Job listings
Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.
To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .
Wages
Legal secretaries (SOC 43-6012)
| Location |
Pay Period | |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10% |
25% |
Median |
75% |
90% |
||
| Washington | Hourly | $16.48 | $19.96 | $25.17 | $32.19 | $37.81 |
| Monthly | $2,856 | $3,459 | $4,362 | $5,579 | $6,552 | |
| Yearly | $34,280 | $41,520 | $52,350 | $66,950 | $78,650 | |
| Bellingham | Hourly | $20.35 | $21.82 | $24.24 | $31.78 | $36.32 |
| Monthly | $3,527 | $3,781 | $4,201 | $5,507 | $6,294 | |
| Yearly | $42,331 | $45,371 | $50,437 | $66,115 | $75,558 | |
| Clarkston-Lewiston | Hourly | $10.89 | $12.28 | $14.20 | $15.91 | $19.54 |
| Monthly | $1,887 | $2,128 | $2,461 | $2,757 | $3,386 | |
| Yearly | $22,646 | $25,548 | $29,539 | $33,098 | $40,646 | |
| Kennewick-Richland | Hourly | $17.23 | $19.12 | $21.40 | $23.71 | $25.24 |
| Monthly | $2,986 | $3,313 | $3,709 | $4,109 | $4,374 | |
| Yearly | $35,831 | $39,784 | $44,513 | $49,322 | $52,497 | |
| Longview | Hourly | $13.47 | $15.22 | $20.07 | $29.16 | $31.56 |
| Monthly | $2,334 | $2,638 | $3,478 | $5,053 | $5,469 | |
| Yearly | $28,019 | $31,651 | $41,733 | $60,652 | $65,638 | |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes | Hourly | $19.00 | $24.82 | $28.73 | $31.26 | $32.78 |
| Monthly | $3,293 | $4,301 | $4,979 | $5,417 | $5,681 | |
| Yearly | $39,513 | $51,624 | $59,757 | $65,034 | $68,185 | |
| Olympia-Tumwater | Hourly | $17.35 | $19.36 | $22.56 | $28.09 | $31.82 |
| Monthly | $3,007 | $3,355 | $3,910 | $4,868 | $5,514 | |
| Yearly | $36,098 | $40,256 | $46,930 | $58,416 | $66,200 | |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | Hourly | $20.20 | $25.12 | $31.02 | $36.74 | $40.68 |
| Monthly | $3,501 | $4,353 | $5,376 | $6,367 | $7,050 | |
| Yearly | $42,007 | $52,235 | $64,504 | $76,420 | $84,622 | |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | Hourly | $13.98 | $15.71 | $19.13 | $23.34 | $27.18 |
| Monthly | $2,423 | $2,723 | $3,315 | $4,045 | $4,710 | |
| Yearly | $29,071 | $32,691 | $39,806 | $48,546 | $56,548 | |
| Vancouver | Hourly | $17.12 | $20.69 | $25.89 | $32.75 | $37.56 |
| Monthly | $2,967 | $3,586 | $4,487 | $5,676 | $6,509 | |
| Yearly | $35,590 | $43,037 | $53,866 | $68,109 | $78,129 | |
| Walla Walla | Hourly | $12.04 | $12.41 | $16.81 | $18.94 | $20.33 |
| Monthly | $2,087 | $2,151 | $2,913 | $3,282 | $3,523 | |
| Yearly | $25,044 | $25,826 | $34,969 | $39,386 | $42,285 | |
| Wenatchee | Hourly | $16.64 | $20.76 | $23.85 | $27.37 | $30.35 |
| Monthly | $2,884 | $3,598 | $4,133 | $4,743 | $5,260 | |
| Yearly | $34,622 | $43,191 | $49,593 | $56,923 | $63,117 | |
| Yakima | Hourly | $18.48 | $20.47 | $22.38 | $24.24 | $26.34 |
| Monthly | $3,203 | $3,547 | $3,878 | $4,201 | $4,565 | |
| Yearly | $38,425 | $42,560 | $46,558 | $50,420 | $54,791 | |
| United States | Hourly | $13.43 | $16.83 | $22.29 | $29.83 | $37.63 |
| Monthly | $2,327 | $2,917 | $3,863 | $5,170 | $6,521 | |
| Yearly | $27,920 | $35,000 | $46,360 | $62,060 | $78,280 | |
Pay varies with the worker's skill, experience, and level of responsibility. The more training or experience legal secretaries have, the higher their wages. Pay also varies with the type of law firm. Legal secretaries earn more than some secretaries because they must be very accurate and have special skills. This includes knowledge of legal terms and procedures. Pay also varies by area of the country.
Legal secretaries who work full time usually receive benefits. Typical benefits include paid vacation, sick leave, and health insurance. Some firms also offer a retirement plan.
Employment and outlook
Washington outlook
The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.
Legal Secretaries (SOC 43-6012)
| Location | Current employment | Growth over 10 years | Annual openings | |
| This occupation |
All occupations |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 3,121 | -7.9% | 16.1% | 270 |
| Adams, Chelan, Douglas, Grant, and Okanogan Counties | 93 | -9.7% | 13.4% | 7 |
| Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Walla Walla, and Whitman Counties | 94 | -11.7% | 8.6% | 7 |
| Benton and Franklin Counties | 173 | -8.7% | 15.0% | 14 |
| Clallam, Jefferson, and Kitsap Counties | 16 | -6.3% | 11.9% | 1 |
| Clark, Cowlitz, and Wahkiakum Counties | 209 | -7.7% | 15.2% | 18 |
| Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, and Thurston Counties | 218 | -6.0% | 14.1% | 20 |
| Island, San Juan, Skagit, and Whatcom Counties | 61 | -13.1% | 14.6% | 4 |
| King County | 1,251 | -5.1% | 19.6% | 117 |
| Kittitas, Klickitat, Skamania, and Yakima Counties | 128 | -12.5% | 13.8% | 9 |
| Pierce County | 370 | -9.5% | 15.2% | 30 |
| Snohomish County | 76 | 0.0% | 12.4% | 8 |
| Spokane County | 319 | -10.3% | 13.9% | 25 |
| United States | 180,100 | -20.9% | 5.2% | 14,300 |
National employment
Almost all legal secretaries work in law firms.
Major employers:
- Law firms
- Federal, state, and local government agencies
National outlook
Growth in this occupation is expected to decline. This is because more law firms have paralegals and legal assistants on their staff who do the work previously done by legal secretaries.
Most openings will occur each year as legal secretaries retire or leave the occupation.
Other resources
222 South Westmonte Drive, Suite 111
Altamonte Springs, FL 32714
407.774.7880
American Bar Association
321 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60654
312.988.5000
NALS of Washington: The Association for Legal Professionals
References
Career cluster
Career path
- Conventional (Business Operations)
O*Net occupation
O*Net job zone
Job Zone 3 - Medium preparation needed. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.
DOT occupation
Holland occupational clusters
- Conventional/Enterprising/Realistic
- Conventional/Enterprising/Social
COPSystem
- Clerical