Law secretaries work in the legal profession and assist lawyers in their jobs. They help lawyers by arranging and filing documents concerned with law. They may be also responsible for tracing pertinent information for cases. Depending upon the firm in which they work, they may even be asked to undertake managerial responsibilities.
Law Secretaries Schools and Degrees
It is helpful if a person aspiring to become a law secretary is a college graduate. Education is important as they work closely with lawyers in a technical field. Vocational education facilities also offer a one or two year curriculum in community colleges and technical schools. Law secretaries need to go through special training programs which acquaint them with the legal language.
Job Requirements
Certification is important for career advancement. The National Association of Legal Secretaries Inc. and the Legal Secretaries International, Inc. are two such bodies that offer certification to law secretaries. Those who have at least a one year of work experience in law and have finished approved training can earn the designation of Accredited Legal Secretary. This can be done by undergoing an examination process governed by the NALS.
There are two more designations offered by NALS. These can even assist one to graduate and become a paralegal professional. One is the Professional Legal Secretary, which is basically regarded as an advanced certification by those in the profession of legal support. The second is the Certified Legal Secretary Specialist, awarded by the Legal Secretaries International.
Law secretaries need to have good organizational and communication skills. They need to be proficient handling computers, telephone systems and fax machines. Ability to do research work when necessary and knowledge of legal terms and procedures is surely important. Being honest and trustworthy is important as they handle sensitive material.
Nature of Work
Law secretaries execute the same responsibilities as other secretaries. They dispatch letters, answer and make calls, maintain office supplies and equipments, sketch out conferences, instruct the staff and receive clients. Added to this, they also prepare legal documents such as summons, complaints and motions under the directive of a lawyer or a paralegal. They also help lawyers in legal research and assist in assessment of legal journals. For instance, they verify citations in legal briefs. They sometimes also instruct new lawyers on how to prepare legal documents.
Law secretaries work in legal offices. Generally, they work for about forty hours in a week. If need be they may have to work in the evenings and on weekends. Their job requires them to work with computers for long hours and as such they may be susceptible to eye, back and wrist problems.
Law Secretaries Jobs and Outlook
According to research in 2006, law secretaries held about 275,000 jobs in the US.
The mean hourly wage for legal secretaries in the US is about $19.50, while the mean annual wages are around $40,550.
Job Numbers and Growth
Law secretaries nationally number 275,000. The unemployment level for workers is low, compared to other occupations. About 3% of employees were unemployed recently.
Area Job Conditions
Law secretaries are relatively common in Great Falls (Montana), Newark (New Jersey), and Macon (Georgia). They are rarer in Rochester (Minnesota), Nashua (New Hampshire), and Knoxville (Tennessee).
Workers are paid highest in San Jose (California), San Francisco (California), and Washington (District of Columbia), and lowest in Elizabethtown (Kentucky), Dothan (Alabama), and Jacksonville (North Carolina).
Training and Education
Employees are generally expected to have an associate degree. About 18% of law secretaries hold a bachelor's degree or better. Currently 49% of workers have some college education, though not a degree. About 33% of employees were able to get their jobs with a high-school diploma. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career.
Part-Time Work and Self-Employment
About 19% of law secretaries work less than full-time. In 1% of the cases, workers work for themselves.
Law Secretaries by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)
In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.
Schools recommended for people interested in this career. Request info with quick online forms. These particular schools are noted for getting back to people fast.
Schools recommended for people interested in this career. Request info with quick online forms. These particular schools are noted for getting back to people fast.