According to Sally Jarvis, a legal secretary at Dorsey & Whitney, “I found the law fascinating. I learned quickly and soon discovered that I never wanted to do anything else.”
Below, I have compiled some information on what it takes to become a legal secretary. This information includes what educational programs are available, what the typical responsibilities of a legal secretary are, what kinds of societies are available to help aspirants become immersed in the industry, and what advice the professionals have for someone interested in the field.
The Education of a Legal Secretary Includes a Two-Year Associate’s Degree Program or a Certificate Program to Help the Would-Be Secretary to Better Understand the Legal Field and His or Her Secretarial Duties
According to AllCriminalJusticeSchools.com, a website that helps train individuals to become legal secretaries, there are no “academic requirements for this field.” However, the site suggests that a person interested in becoming a legal secretary take a two-year A.A. program, like Davis did, or a two-year certificate program “in legal secretarial skills…to prepare for the complexities of legal practice.”
Some of the relevant courses include:
- Law office practices
- Shorthand
- Keyboarding
- Computers
- Word processing
- Legal terminology
- Law
One group that offers a certified program is the National Association of Legal Secretaries (NALS). With this certification, you can become a Professional Legal Secretary (PLS). This, according to the NALS website, “[is] for lawyers’ assistants who want to be identified as exceptional.” The certification requires a one-day, four-part test and is only offered for those with three years in the legal field.
The Responsibilities of a Legal Secretary Include Reviewing and Preparing Legal Drafts, Handling Secretarial Duties, and Interacting with an Attorney’s Clients
My father, Myron Salisian, is an attorney. When I asked him what kinds of things a legal secretary could do to help make his job as a lawyer easier, he said, “Carefully review drafts of letters and other documents to make sure they make sense, can be understood by the intended reader, and use proper grammar.” Responsibilities, according to my father, also include interacting with clients and maintaining good client relations. Of the latter, he emphasizes this the most: “Greeting and treating clients in a friendly and courteous manner, whether in person or over the phone, can be a big help in establishing and maintaining good relationships between the attorney and the client. Some clients may provide repeat business or refer other business to a lawyer simply because of how well they were treated by the lawyer's staff.”
Legal Secretaries Can Get Involved in Different Legal Organizations to Connect with Other Legal Secretaries and Boost Their Careers
Along with working for Dorsey & Whitney, Jarvis acts as president of Legal Secretaries International Inc., which is an “educational association for legal secretaries whose members value ethics, professionalism, and continuing legal education,” according to the group’s website.
Davis also is involved in a legal society, the Legal Aid Society of Alameda County. Its mission is “to help people get themselves out of poverty,” and “to provide equal access to [their] services and high quality legal assistance throughout the Bay Area, regardless of the client’s location, language, or disability.”
Legal Secretary Sally Jarvis Offers Advice on Breaking into and Staying in the Administrative Field
“Pay attention and learn,” says Jarvis. “Never turn down free training, even if it is on your own time. You are the one who will ultimately benefit. Keep your skills up-to-date, both your technical skills and your knowledge of procedures. Read what comes across your desk. If you don’t understand something, ask questions — that’s how you learn. Proofread everything — even a misplaced comma can make a difference. I would also recommend joining a professional association. It’s a great way to make new friends and network across the country.”
The Average Legal Secretary Earns between $40,399 and $55,541
On average, according to Salary.com, legal secretaries working in Pasadena, CA, make between $45,210 and $62,156; those working in New York, New York, make between $47,953 and $65,928; and those working in Dallas, Texas, make between $40,843 and $56,152.
Conclusion
So what’s it take to become a legal secretary? Be sure to develop your skills by taking an educational course or certificate program, take your responsibilities with clients and your attorney seriously, and involve yourself in legal secretarial societies. By doing these things, you’ll be well on your way to being a top legal secretary, just like Davis and Jarvis are.
