Nov 30, 2017 ● Kate Lopaze
How to become a legal secretary
Some fields come with perennial job openings, because basic human needs don’t change very much—healthcare and education come to mind. The legal world is like this as well. It’s an industry that will always be necessary. And if you don’t have or want a law degree, don’t worry! That’s not a barrier to breaking into the field (unless your goal is to be a practicing attorney). If you have stellar organizational skills and an interest in the law, you can break into the industry as a legal secretary. Let’s look at the basic building blocks of this career path.
What’s the difference between paralegals and legal secretaries?
In the legal world, there are a number of non-attorney legal professionals in supporting roles who work for law firms, legal clinics, and government agencies as part of the legal team. These roles are typically broken out into two types: Legal secretary/assistants: Legal secretaries may organize and file legal documents or case research, but their primary role is to support the lawyers administratively. This can include managing calendars, scheduling appointments, performing many of the same tasks as an administrative professional in virtually every other industry. There’s no specific degree typically required to become a legal secretary, but associate’s degrees are fairly common. Paralegals: Paralegals focus more on the legal aspects of the supporting role. The paralegal is more likely to work directly with clients, taking and giving information, managing depositions or other legal meetings, and conducting research. Paralegals typically hold a four-year degree in paralegal studies.What does a legal secretary do?
Legal secretaries are responsible for managing an attorney’s day-to-day office life. That may include the following responsibilities:- Maintaining attorney schedules, scheduling appointments
- Drafting correspondence and legal documents (such as briefs, subpoenas, or motions)
- Managing and ordering office supplies
- Answering phones and email
- Greeting clients
- Filing legal and administrative documents
- Copying, scanning, and faxing legal documents
- Assisting with research and reading legal journals or materials
- Reviewing and proofreading legal documents