The role of legal secretaries, also known as administrative assistants and legal
assistants, has evolved in the past two decades. As technology continues to
transform the law office, legal secretaries have transcended traditional roles
of typing and answering phones to perform high-value activities once reserved
for professional and managerial staff such as selecting vendors, managing
client relationships and drafting legal documents.
1.
Technology Skills
Many attorneys
have neither the time nor expertise to operate law office technology. They rely
on tech-savvy legal secretaries to perform a variety of computer-based tasks
such as: creating spreadsheets, preparing presentations, entering time for
billing purposes, creating and typing documents, maintaining calendars and
tracking deadlines. Therefore, legal secretaries who are proficient in a
variety of computer software applications will have the most career opportunities. Some of the most common technologies that legal
secretaries must master include:
- Word processing
- Spreadsheet
- Presentation
- Document Management
- Time & Billing
- Calendar & Docketing
- Transcription
- Desktop Publishing
- Videoconferencing
2.
Interpersonal Skills
Legal secretaries interact daily
with attorneys, paralegals, staff, clients, opposing counsel, judicial
personnel, vendors and other third-parties. Therefore, top-notch interpersonal
and communication skills are essential. In addition to face-to-face contact,
secretaries communicate by e-mail, telephone and videoconferencing
systems.
3.
Writing Skills
Think attorneys perform all the
writing? Think again. Legal secretaries are frequently responsible for
drafting routine correspondence and file memos as well as proofreading legal
documents such as pleadings, briefs, discovery and transactional documents.
Writing is an integral part of the legal secretary’s job; those who develop
strong writing skills will become indispensible to the attorneys they assist.
4.
Organizational Skills
Attorneys are notoriously disorganized.
Since legal secretaries are the attorney’s “right hand man,” organizational skills are essential to efficiently manage a law
practice or corporate legal
department.
Legal secretaries must maintain paper and electronic files, manage projects,
track multiple deadlines, maintain calendars, schedule meetings, organize
events and keep everything orderly and accessible.
5.
Transcription Skills
Transcription skills are
foundational to secretarial practice. In addition to a fast typing speed
(employer requirements vary from 50 to 100 words per minute), keen listening
skills are required to comprehend voice dictation files. Strong grammar,
spelling, vocabulary and language skills are necessary as well an understanding
of legal terminology. In addition, secretaries must be proficient in word
processing applications and transcription equipment.
6.
Attention to Detail
Attention to detail is critical in the legal profession. For example, typing $600,000 in a settlement
offer instead of $60,000 could cost your firm a client. Legal secretaries
handle the minutiae of daily law practice and attention to detail is important
in nearly every secretarial task from drafting and proofreading documents to
scheduling meetings and calendaring deadlines.
7.
Familiarity with Legal Documents and Terminology
What’s the difference between a
secretary and a legal secretary? Legal secretaries are familiar
with all things legal. Terms like subpoena, pro se and voir dire
don’t befuddle them. They understand the nuances of legal procedure and
know how to create and format pleadings, discovery and transactional
documents.
8.
Teamwork
Teamwork is crucial to the role of
legal secretaries in delivering legal services. In all practice settings – from
large corporate legal department to solo practitioner - legal secretaries must
team with attorneys, paralegals, secretaries, file clerks,
vendors and others to deliver legal services effectively. The most
efficient legal secretaries know how to get along with co-workers and
collaborate with third parties to get the job done.
9.
Multi-Tasking Skills
Most legal secretaries work for more
than one person on more than one file. Simultaneously performing multiple
tasks is second-nature to a competent legal secretary. They know how to
juggle multiple assignments and competing priorities and how to manage growing
workloads in today’s busy law office where one person frequently performs the
job of three.
10.
Research skills
Legal secretaries perform Internet research for
a multitude of tasks such as finding directions, gathering client information,
researching the competition and locating expert witnesses. Many legal
secretaries, particularly those in small law offices, also perform paralegal duties, including legal research, cite checking
and tracking down case law. Learning legal research platforms such as Westlaw or Lexis/Nexis can give you a
competitive edge.
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