Legal Secretary Course
Legal secretaries can enjoy varied assignments, flexible working hours. So learn the skills you need to become a Legal Secretary and launch a new career in the legal industry.
There are certain skills you need to begin a career as a Legal Secretary. Our Legal Secretary course helps you learn them at home! Get hands-on experience with:
- Technologies in the Office
- Filing techniques and records management
- PC basics, keyboarding, and Internet basics
- Ethics, professionalism, and risk management
Find out more about Legal Secretary training that includes:
- All the books, lessons, equipment, and learning aids you need
- Keyboarding Pro software
- FLASH® Legal Terminology software
- Access to student services by phone, mail, and website
Penn Foster Career School 
As a legal secretary, you would be responsible for performing clerical and administrative functions for a law firm. You may work for just one attorney or your duties may be split between a team of legal professionals. Some of the specific job duties you would perform include scheduling appointments for lawyers, answering questions from prospective clients, preparing documents for court appearances and legal filings, preparing correspondence and possibly assisting with legal research. Legal secretaries can be found at private law firms, insurance companies, financial institutions, government agencies and other large corporations that have a legal department.
To be successful as a legal secretary, you should have excellent communication skills, problem solving ability, the ability to prioritize tasks and advanced word processing skills. The days of preparing letters and legal correspondence by typewriter are gone forever, so you can make yourself valuable by knowing as many computer office programs as possible.
What Kind of Education is Necessary to Become a Legal Secretary?
Although a certificate or degree isn't required to become a legal secretary, it is highly recommended. This is a competitive career field to break into, so you can help yourself stand out by seeking advanced education and certification as a legal secretary. The majority of technical and community colleges offer legal secretary certificates or diplomas that can be completed in less than two years. You may also choose to attend a private college that is focused on career training. Whichever educational path you choose, you can boost your credibility by taking a certification exam for legal secretaries at the conclusion of your formal education.
People who have completed their legal secretarial training and have been working in the field for three years or less can become an accredited legal secretary by passing a four-hour exam. Those who have more than three years of work experience can obtain certification as a professional legal secretary. These certification exams are arranged through the National Association of Legal Professionals.
While you are obtaining your legal secretary education, you can expect to complete coursework in legal transcription, billing practices, managing client files, office automation, legal terminology, scheduling and general office management. You should look for a legal secretary training program that offers you the opportunity to complete an internship at the end of your program. This will give you practical experience to discuss with potential employers at job interviews after graduation.
What is the Job Outlook and Average Pay for Legal Secretaries?
In 2010, the occupation of legal secretary was predicted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to have an average job growth rate of 12 percent through the year 2020. Legal secretaries earned an average annual salary of almost $45,000 in that year for full-time employment. There were approximately 220,000 people employed as legal secretaries at the time of the BLS report. The majority of people employed as legal secretaries work for private law firms. Those earning the highest salaries typically work for private businesses, such as insurance companies.
On average, legal secretaries earn about $10,000 a year more than secretaries with only general training. It is also a more unique profession, as there are four million people employed as general secretaries. If you enjoy handling administrative tasks and have an interest in the law, you will have a higher-paying career by combining these two interests than you would without seeking an administrative specialty.
References:
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes436012.htm
http://www.ehow.com/list_6561569_legal-secretary-college-courses.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_2068958_become-legal-secretary.html
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