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Legal Secretarial Work & Office Secretarial Courses

Legal secretaries come into the profession in a variety of different ways - some with more specialised skills than others. We'll go on to suggest possible training later on, but first let's get a feel for what the job entails.

The principal activity for all legal secretaries involves the preparation of legal documents and paperwork on behalf of barrister's, solicitors or legal executives.

Other tasks will include keeping records of costs; controlling petty cash; organising diaries and making appointments; organising telephone calls and faxes; and sending, receiving and keeping an audit trail of e-mails. There are also some jobs that are specific to the legal industry, such as accompanying lawyers to court attendances.

A lot of legal secretaries started their careers in a more general secretarial role, but employment chances are always better for those who've had some legal training. Solicitors themselves tend to specialise - some deal with civil law and others with criminal law.

Thus it could be you find work with a criminal lawyer, which would be a very different experience to working with a company lawyer. Having said that, if you work for a small firm of lawyers you'll probably deal with more varied tasks than if you work for a big law company.

Although the work varies between companies, the majority of it will be office and PC based. There's often the chance for legal secretaries to work part-time, and in fact some companies encourage job-sharing. Salaries vary from up to 15K at entry level to over 30K for an experienced professional.

Study Paths For Legal Secretaries

OK - so which skills and competencies does an employer seek the most? Outstanding keyboard & computer skills would be high on the list of requirements, alongside a good command of the English language. You should also be very accurate, pay attention to detail, have good organisational skills and an interest in the law.

There aren't any clear cut exam qualifications, but legal secretaries should have an English Language GCSE as a minimum. Naturally, spelling and grammar are key skills for the job, and no professional should rely on spell-check.

An ability to use Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel and probably PowerPoint is essential - with particular emphasis on skills in Word. You can look at stand alone office skills packages - why not try the European Computer Driving Licence for starters.

As you'll find a number of trainers featured here, you might like to Bookmark this reference page - a handy shortcut for this is to simply type in 'Ctrl D'. Then you can get straight back here with one click of your mouse!

There are some very good business admin and general secretarial courses on offer from UK colleges - these can certainly help. Legal secretarial work attracts people from many different administrative roles, so competition can be tough. Always present yourself in your best light - show how you can contribute to the business as a whole. Check and double check your CV before you send it to an employer though. You could fall at the first hurdle if you're spelling's not up to snuff!

What Do I Have To Do Next?

It's not unusual for legal secretaries to continue training once in employment. This allows them to specialise in areas relevant to the work they're doing. Some organisations offer in-house training programmes and others may encourage employees to work towards external professional qualifications.

Lots of interesting things are taught on legal secretarial courses. To begin with you'll probably cover aspects of working in a legal office - such as documentation and privacy issues.

Other modules might deal with the legal system itself, or how a court is structured. More specific subjects looked at (from the legal secretary's perspective) might be Contract Law, Civil Litigation, Land Law, Conveyancing, Wills and Probate.

Based on current prices, the average cost of a formal Legal Secretarial course is currently in the region of 500-1000 pounds. Certain PC skills may be included in the training, but for professional certifications refer to specialist IT Training Providers. Training usually involves some type of distance or blended learning facilities and students require access to a computer.

Developing Into a Legal Executive

Further training can lead to becoming a qualified Legal Executive. This would provide for a more senior legal position with great prospects. In many ways they act on behalf of clients in the same manner as a lawyer would, but they cannot represent them in High Court. Because of the Extended Rights of Audience that now exist though, many Legal Executives are successfully representing people in the Family Proceedings Courts, The County Courts and the Magistrates Courts. Which courts they can work in largely depends on the area and level of their expertise. Just like solicitors, legal execs can focus on civil litigation, criminal law etc.

Building a fascinating and valuable career as a Legal Secretary will take you right to the heart of UK law. With so many training options available to you, isn't it time to get the ball rolling?