Legal secretaries provide administrative and secretarial support for lawyers or other staff within a legal firm.
The Work
You could be:
preparing court forms and statements
organising solicitors' diaries and making appointments
preparing records of legal costs
typing legal contracts, digital recordings (transcriptions), agreements and wills, using the correct wording and layout
accompanying solicitors to court and police stations
dealing with enquiries from clients via telephone and face to face
reading and answering emails, opening mail or filing or proofreading documents
organising meetings and taking minutes
specialising in a particular area, such as criminal law, conveyancing (property transfer) or family law.
Pay
The figures below are only a guide. Actual pay rates may vary, depending on:
where you work
the size of company or organisation you work for
the demand for the job.
Salaries for legal secretaries in Scotland tend to be in the range of around £18,000 to £25,000 a year. Legal secretaries in top firms can earn up to £30,000 or more. Salaries sometimes include additional benefits.
Conditions
You would be based in an office.
You would work at a desk using a computer.
Your hours would normally be 9.00am-5.00pm, Monday to Friday.
You may sometimes have to work under pressure to meet court deadlines.
A good general education is helpful. Many employers ask for some subjects at National 4 or 5 including English and Maths.
Alternatively, you could take an NC or NQ (SCQF Levels 4-6), an SVQ, an HNC (SCQF Level 7), HND (SCQF Level 8) or a degree (SCQF Level 9-10) in administration or business before applying for a job.
Some of these courses include legal specialisms.
Entry requirements for an NC, NQ or SVQ vary from no formal qualifications to 4 subjects at National 5. Entry requirements for HNC or HND courses are 1-2 Highers, and for degree courses, 4-5 Highers.
You need fast and accurate typing skills. Shorthand may be an advantage.
You need to become familiar with legal terms.
You could look for work with legal firms, patent agencies, local authorities, courts or with the police.
What Does it Take?
You should be:
confident
accurate and attentive to detail
good written and verbal communication skills
able to talk to people from various backgrounds
well organised and able to prioritise tasks
able to understand and use legal terms
able to work under pressure
discreet, when dealing with confidential information.
Training
Training is usually on the job, perhaps with part time study towards a relevant qualification.
The Institute of Legal Secretaries offers various distance learning courses including the Legal Secretaries Diploma and single subject legal courses at Foundation Certificate and Advanced Diploma level.
Getting On
With experience you could become an office manager or PA.
You might train as a paralegal or legal executive.
By taking higher qualifications, you might train to become a solicitor or lawyer.
