All About Legal Secretaries
Legal Secretary Example 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.
Legal Secretary Responsibilities
- Prepare and distribute invoices to bill clients or pay account expenses.
- Receive and place telephone calls.
- Make travel arrangements for attorneys.
- Prepare, proofread, or process legal documents, such as summonses, subpoenas, complaints, appeals, motions, or pretrial agreements.
- Attend legal meetings, such as client interviews, hearings, or depositions, and take notes.
- Draft and type office memos.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Legal Secretary?
Below is a list of the skills most Legal Secretaries say are important on the job.
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.
Types of Legal Secretary
- Legal Coordinator
- Legal Administrative Assistant
- Accredited Legal Secretary
- Law Secretary
- Legal Administrative Secretary
Are There Job Opportunities for Legal Secretaries?
In the United States, there were 194,700 jobs for Legal Secretary in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Legal Secretary. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 15,000 job openings in this field each year.

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.
What is the Average Salary of a Legal Secretary
The typical yearly salary for Legal Secretaries is somewhere between $27,920 and $78,280.

Legal Secretaries who work in District of Columbia, Massachusetts, or Connecticut, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Legal Secretaries in different U.S. states.
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 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Legal Secretaries
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Legal Secretaries may use on a daily basis:
- 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
How do I Become a Legal Secretary?
Education needed to be a Legal Secretary:

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where do Legal Secretaries Work?

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

Similar Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Legal Secretary might also be interested in the following careers:
References:
Image Credit: Staff Sgt. Nicholas Rau via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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