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Getting Into Legal Secretarial Work With Legal Courses & Training

Legal secretaries come into the profession in a variety of different ways - some with more specialised skills than others. First of all let's get into what a legal secretary does, and then go through the kind of training options available to develop your skills.

The majority of the work will involve typing correspondence on behalf of the lawyers you work for, and preparing legal forms and documents. Depending on the size of the business, there may also be supplementary admin jobs to take care of as well. The work becomes more specialist when, for example, you have to attend the magistrate's court or a police cell with one of the company's solicitors.

Many legal secretaries start off as general secretaries, but increasingly those who've specialised are being considered more suitable. Solicitors themselves tend to specialise - some deal with civil law and others with criminal law. So each of their work is different - Civil lawyers can deal with many legal matters concerning such things as divorce, property and the family.

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. Whichever type of law firm you work for, you will spend most of your time in the office. Normal weekday office hours are standard, with the usual statutory entitlements. Some legal secretaries in larger offices work on a flexi-time arrangement. The expected starting salary is generally around 13-15k, but can go on to reach 30k plus, depending on your skill-set and experience.

Training for Legal Secretaries

So, what does an employer look for when considering a legal secretary? Computer user skills and keyboard skills are top of the list, closely followed by an excellent aptitude for written English. In addition, you should have a genuine interest in legal matters, be well organised and scrupulously accurate.

There aren't any clear cut exam qualifications, but legal secretaries should have an English Language GCSE as a minimum. As you would expect, a good working knowledge of English grammar, spelling and punctuation is fairly essential to the whole process. Just about all law firms will use Microsoft Office, so be sure you have strong user skills for Word, Excel and Outlook at the very least. An ECDL (European Computer Driving Licence) is a good starting point - but the more advanced Microsoft MOS/MCAS Office Expert certifications would certainly impress more.

Various training colleges are featured here, so why not Bookmark this page for easy reference? That way you'll find it easily if you want to come back and explore any of them.

There are some very good business admin and general secretarial courses on offer from UK colleges - these can certainly help. You must be able to present yourself well at interview to give yourself the best chance. When you get a chance to let an employer know what you can do, be sure to display the characteristics that they're looking for. Ultimately though, prepare yourself with professional skills and just be yourself - hopefully your natural charm and enthusiasm will shine through.

What Actions Do I Take Now?

Many legal firms train their Legal Secretaries 'on-the-job', in order to precisely meet their exact requirements. This could mean being mentored from within the company, or (more usually) it could mean studying for external exams.

Training courses for legal secretaries cover a broad range of disciplines. To begin with you'll probably cover aspects of working in a legal office - such as documentation and privacy issues. The internet has become a very useful tool where legal matters are concerned, so that could also be covered. Finally you'll come onto the specialist areas. Your choice will reflect your company's expertise, so it could be anything from Family Law to Company Law, or Conveyancing to Criminal Law.

Based on current prices, the average cost of a formal Legal Secretarial course is currently in the region of 500-1000 pounds. This would not include the ECDL/MOS/MCAS or other IT/Computer training program (which can run from 100-1000 pounds or more - depending on the certification level desired.) There are a lot of colleges to choose from - look carefully at the features their courses provide to find the best one for you.

How To Go On To Become A Legal Executive

Many Legal Secretaries eventually go on to study a Legal Executive programme. Legal Executives must continue training throughout their careers to keep abreast of the latest legal developments. With the exception of representing clients in the High Court, most of their activities can be similar to other lawyers. In the lower courts however, certain legal executives can represent their clients in the same way any other lawyer can. Their subject training and experience will determine which courts they have access to. Just like solicitors, legal execs can focus on civil litigation, criminal law etc.

Our aim in this information sheet has been to give you a taste of how life could be for you as a professional Legal Secretary. Make a decision today to find out more about how this might work for you.