About Legal Secretaries
High school graduates and college graduates who have experience as a secretary and an interest in the legal profession make ideal candidates for legal secretary positions. Individuals interested in becoming a legal secretary should be familiar with the qualifications and duties of the position, be aware of the various industries that hire legal secretaries, and know the difference between a legal secretary and a paralegal before deciding to become a legal secretary.
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Qualifications
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Legal secretary positions require a high school diploma or GED, and usually do not require an associate's degree or bachelor's degree (though these are helpful). Most employers prefer candidates who have experience in the legal profession because these candidates are already familiar with some legal terminology, types of pleadings and the local court system. Many legal secretaries have a work history as an administrative assistant, receptionist or secretary--whether in the legal profession or in another industry.
Duties
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Legal secretaries are primarily responsible for assisting attorneys and other legal professionals in carrying out day-to-day tasks, such as keeping track of deadlines, contacting clients, scheduling meetings and hearings, and preparing pleadings and other legal documents. Legal secretaries may also be responsible for proofreading and editing the work of attorneys and others, and may serve as the main contact for new and existing clients.
Employers
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The industry that employs the most legal secretaries is the legal industry. This includes private law firms, legal departments of private companies, nonprofit organizations and clinics, and some state and local government agencies. The health care and health insurance industries also employ legal secretaries. So do the real estate industry, higher education industry and financial industry.
Environment
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Legal secretaries' work environment is an office setting. If the employer has a large clientele, the legal secretaries may work in a high-stress environment. The secretary may work at the reception desk of an attorney's office or may be assigned a cubicle or desk work station. Legal secretaries use standard office equipment during their workday such as computers, printers and fax machines. However, legal secretaries may also be required to operate Dictaphones and operate a switchboard for incoming calls. Some legal secretaries may also act as runners, delivering and filing documents at the courthouse.
Misconceptions
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Legal secretaries are not paralegals, also known as legal assistants. Although legal secretaries and paralegals may share some of the same duties, such as document filing and corresponding with clients, paralegals are primarily responsible for conducting legal research, gathering facts and drafting legal memos for the attorneys. Paralegals will also have an associate's degree or bachelor's degree in paralegal studies, while legal secretaries do not. Many legal secretaries decide later in their careers to become paralegals.
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- Photo Credit Photo courtesy: Kevin Connors
