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So You Want To Be A.... Legal Secretary

Legal secretaries provide the foundations that support all good legal executives and lawyers, providing an invaluable service that aids them in their profession. It’s an appealing career move for anyone with a keen interest in Law and methodical and organised approach to their workload, and for those with experience and training in an administrative position already it isn’t a difficult move.

In this article we will look at the fundamentals of the legal secretary position, including roles and responsibilities, typical salaries and benefits, and the career training and experience needed to progress in this profession.

The Ideal Candidate

If you aren’t sure if the job is for you, then take a look at some of the key characteristics that law firms categorise as ideal for some interested in becoming a legal secretary:

• Excellent spoken and written communication skills
• The ability to work in a busy office environment
• The ability to work under pressure and to deadlines.
• Excellent organisation skills
• Computer literate
• Interest in/knowledge of  Law

What Does The Job Entail?

Legal secretaries have varying roles and responsibilities, depending on the department that they choose to work in. Here are some of the tasks you can expect to perform as part of your job:

• Produce legal documents such as contracts, wills, and letters of intent, etc.
• Write and work from notes and dictation
• Answering calls/emails/faxes from clients
• Make appointments and use a diary management system
• Prepare statements and court forms
• Record costs/manage petty cash funds
• Process fees
• Attend client meetings with solicitors
• Collect/deliver important documents
• Copy/fax/scan/prep large files
• General admin work inclusive of filing

Qualifications and Career Training

Becoming a legal secretary does not require a university degree or equivalent, but it is advisable to gain some form of training and education that can aid you in both the legal focused duties and the administrative tasks during the job.

Depending on your own interests and the size of law firm you intend to work for, you may want to train in a specialist area such as family law or criminal law. If the law firm you start to work for is small, it may be that you are expected to have knowledge in multiple areas of the law, depending on what types of cases they take on.

At Pitman Training Swords we offer a range of different courses for getting into the legal secretary profession:

Introduction To Irish Law – This course is perfect for those just starting out and who want to work for a small firm without a specific focus on one area of the Law. If you have a competency for Microsoft Word, typing skills at 40wpm, and basic office practice skills then this course is ideal. Click here for more information.

Conveyancing Law in Ireland – To take this course, you must already have a basic knowledge of family law, gained in the Introduction to Irish Law course. This course is ideal for anyone looking to work in the conveyancing department of a law firm in Ireland. Click here for more information.

Family Law – If you are looking to specialise in the family law department, and already have basic secretarial skills, then this course is perfect for you! Click here for more information.

Company Law – For those wanting to specialise in the corporate law department, this course is the perfect one. You must already have basic office and secretarial skills before taking on this course. Click here for more information.

Criminal Law – If you want to specialise in criminal law, and have already acquired basic office and secretarial skills, then this course is the one for you. Click here for more information.

Civil Litigation in Ireland – This course will teach you all you need to know to begin a career as a specialist legal secretary in Civil Litigation. Click here for more information.

Wills And Probate Law In Ireland – If your interests lie in the specialism of wills and probate law, this course will teach you everything you need to know to enable you to work in this specialist department. Click here for more information.

 If you don’t already have basic secretarial skills, this doesn’t mean you can’t pursue a career as a legal secretary! We have a range of information and courses that can bring you up to speed. Click here to take a look at our range of courses for admin and secretarial skills, and simply contact us if you have any queries about which training is right for you.

Working Hours, Salaries and Benefits of Legal Secrateries

Now for the juicy bit! The typical full time legal secretary works 37-40 hours Monday to Friday in office, between the hours of 9am and 6pm depending on the law firm’s own opening times. During busy periods there may be later nights/weekend overtime available.

The starting salary of a legal secretary is between €18,000 and €25,000 per year depending on location, qualifications and experience.

With 2-3 years experience salaries are on average between €25,000 and €35,000 and a highly qualified and experience legal secretary can earn up to €45,000 per year, depending on the company, specialism, etc.

Benefits typically include pension schemes, health care plans and depending on the size of the law firms there may be a shares and savings option.

So if you think a legal secretary position might be the one for you and you would like more information about getting training and qualifications in this profession, don’t hesitate to call us on 01 8404075 or email swords@pitman-training.net.

Alternatively you can drop into our training centre in the Chamber Buildings on North Street, Swords and one of our helpful support team will be able to advise you on what’s best for you.