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Legal Secretary

What is a Legal Secretary?

Legal Secretary Job Description Perform secretarial duties using legal terminology, procedures, and documents. Prepare legal papers and correspondence, such as summonses, complaints, motions, and subpoenas. May also assist with legal research.

  • Review legal publications and perform database searches to identify laws and court decisions relevant to pending cases.
  • Organize and maintain law libraries, documents, and case files.
  • Complete various forms, such as accident reports, trial and courtroom requests, and applications for clients.
  • Receive and place telephone calls.
  • Prepare, proofread, or process legal documents, such as summonses, subpoenas, complaints, appeals, motions, or pretrial agreements.
  • Prepare and distribute invoices to bill clients or pay account expenses.

Legal Secretaries state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

  • Accredited Legal Secretary
  • Legal Administrative Assistant
  • Litigation Legal Secretary
  • Judicial Administrative Assistant
  • Litigation Secretary

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 194,700 jobs in the United States for Legal Secretary. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Legal Secretary. There will be an estimated 15,000 positions for Legal Secretary per year.

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The states with the most job growth for Legal Secretary are Maryland, Montana, and Utah. Watch out if you plan on working in Ohio, Wisconsin, or Mississippi. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

The average yearly salary of a Legal Secretary ranges between $27,920 and $78,280.

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Legal Secretaries who work in District of Columbia, Massachusetts, or Connecticut, make the highest salaries.

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $41,840
Alaska $48,260
Arizona $47,320
Arkansas $36,930
California $56,570
Connecticut $53,780
Delaware $52,270
District of Columbia $86,190
Florida $45,550
Georgia $45,680
Hawaii $48,140
Idaho $36,600
Illinois $51,140
Indiana $41,940
Iowa $38,680
Kansas $39,100
Kentucky $36,440
Louisiana $40,330
Maine $38,050
Maryland $52,950
Massachusetts $59,020
Michigan $45,140
Minnesota $53,000
Mississippi $40,080
Missouri $44,130
Montana $34,130
Nebraska $38,900
Nevada $46,350
New Hampshire $49,230
New Jersey $50,660
New Mexico $37,640
New York $55,920
North Carolina $47,030
North Dakota $44,350
Ohio $46,060
Oklahoma $37,150
Oregon $49,960
Pennsylvania $50,980
Rhode Island $48,220
South Carolina $39,670
South Dakota $35,540
Tennessee $43,480
Texas $46,430
Utah $42,240
Vermont $46,540
Virginia $46,400
Washington $54,590
West Virginia $38,460
Wisconsin $44,380
Wyoming $42,140

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Legal Secretaries:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Web browser software
  • Microsoft Access
  • Email software
  • Word processing software
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
  • Microsoft Visio
  • Database software
  • Intuit QuickBooks
  • LexisNexis
  • Sage 50 Accounting
  • Presentation software
  • IBM Lotus Notes
  • ADP Workforce Now
  • Desktop publishing software

What kind of Legal Secretary requirements are there?

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References:

Image Credit: Staff Sgt. Nicholas Rau via Public domain

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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