Legal Secretary
Career information and advice on being a Legal Secretary

A Legal Secretary works with Lawyers, Barristers, Legal Executives and other legal professionals providing administrative support and secretarial support. This can be in both commercial companies as well as in a variety of legal practices.

The day to day functions of a legal Secretary vary, dependant upon who they are working for and the legal discipline they work in, however all will include: Typing of correspondence and legal documentation, often from Audio tapes recorded by the legal professional you support.

In addition your duties may include:

Organising Diary and travel arrangements
Liaising with clients and other legal professionals
Maintenance of documentation including copying and filing
Attending Court to take notes or minutes
Petty cash management
General administrative support

Key to the role of a Legal Secretary is the ability to type at a speed of 60 - 80 words per minute, with good IT skills, having an interest and understanding of legal procedures and excellent attention to detail. Depending on the size of the Office or Legal Firm a Legal Secretary may be exposed to a wide range of legal procedures or certain specific areas. There are a number of legal fields that Legal Secretaries may work in, these include but are not limited to, Conveyancing, Matrimonial, Employment, Commercial, Litigation & Criminal.

Your Functions May include

A Legal Secretary tends to be office based but may travel in certain situations. Your day-to-day functions could include filing and updating databases, answering the telephone and taking accurate messages. As a Legal Secretary, attention to detail is paramount and careful attention needs to be paid to letters, faxes and emails, as well as preparing court documents and statements.

You may also be expected to attend court and the police cells, accompanied by legal professionals. Part of your role may also include transcribing notes from court hearings and answering client enquiries.