Introduction
To get a job as a legal secretary, there are several skills you need to possess. Most jobs as legal secretaries begin as an entry level position with the opportunity for advancement. Basic qualifications for legal secretary jobs may differ from one law office to another.
Step 1
Through the years, legal secretary jobs have been given various titles in a variety of legal office settings. The title of legal secretary can be diverse and the title may also be an administrative assistant, a legal assistant, a paralegal, or an executive assistant. Although the title in legal secretary jobs may differ, the role and job tasks related to the title are basically the same.
Step 2
The best way to describe the role and job tasks related to being a legal secretary will help you understand some of the basic qualifications necessary to become a legal secretary. Legal secretaries need to be able to perform a variety of clerical tasks in order to keep the law office running smoothly. Some of these tasks may include:
- Filing
- Dictation
- Typing a variety of legal documents
- Answering the phone
- Taking messages for the legal staff
- Preparation of various correspondences
- Making appointments for clients
- Collecting payments
- Quoting fees
In addition to those tasks, there may be other job related duties required for legal secretary jobs. It can vary from one law office to another.
Step 3
In order to qualify for legal secretary jobs, a person must possess skills and knowledge. Such skills and knowledge may include but are not limited to:
- Familiarity with legal terminology
- Typing skills including speed and accuracy
- Customer service skills
- State and Federal court filing law and rules
- Word processing
- Spreadsheets
- Legal research and presentation
- Billing software and methods
Those are the basic skills required when working legal secretary jobs. Again, these can vary from one law office to another.
Step 4
Most legal secretaries may be employed by law firms or legal office, but legal secretaries may also be employed by:
- Government agencies
- Legal Aid
- Public Agencies
- Courthouses
- State Attorneys
There may be other businesses that have listings for legal secretary jobs.
Step 5
With a basic understanding of the job related tasks and potential employers of legal secretaries, you should be able to know where to search for legal secretary jobs. Some employers may require additional training other than the basic recommended training and certification programs offered by educational institutions. Many times this will be something you will be able to do while employed by that specific employer.
Before seeking employment as a legal secretary, it is recommended that you pursue your educational goals and attend a legal secretary program and obtain certification. Some employers such as law firms or government agencies may only hire those legal secretaries who have attended formal training and certification. Most of the legal secretary programs will be found in technical schools, community colleges or private educational institutions.
After you complete training, a legal secretary would have to take and pass an exam that is National Association of Legal Professionals in order to receive their certification as a legal secretary. Once that is done, you should have no problem getting a job as a legal secretary in any of the businesses that employee them.
Tips
Before seeking employment as a legal secretary, it is recommended that you pursue your educational goals and attend a legal secretary program and obtain certification. Once you complete your education and certification you may decide that you want to further your education in the legal field and research the possibility of becoming a paralegal.
Sources and Citations
http://www.braintrack.com
