Legal Secretaries

Career Description: Perform secretarial duties utilizing legal terminology, procedures, and documents. Prepare legal papers and correspondence, such as summonses, complaints, motions, and subpoenas. May also assist with legal research.

Industry: Office and Administrative Support

Other Job Titles for Legal Secretaries:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• Prepare and process legal documents and papers, such as summonses, subpoenas, complaints, appeals, motions, and pretrial agreements.
• Mail, fax, or arrange for delivery of legal correspondence to clients, witnesses, and court officials.
• Receive and place telephone calls.
• Schedule and make appointments.
• Make photocopies of correspondence, documents, and other printed matter.
• Organize and maintain law libraries, documents, and case files.
• Assist attorneys in collecting information such as employment, medical, and other records.
• Attend legal meetings, such as client interviews, hearings, or depositions, and take notes.
• Draft and type office memos.
• Review legal publications and perform database searches to identify laws and court decisions relevant to pending cases.
• Submit articles and information from searches to attorneys for review and approval for use.
• Complete various forms, such as accident reports, trial and courtroom requests, and applications for clients.
• Perform other office duties as needed, such as telemarketing and customer service inquiries, billing patients and receiving payments.
• Meet with supervisor daily to submit completed assignments and discuss progress.
• Collect and analyze data, such as studying old records, tallying the number of outpatients entering each day or week, or participating in federal, state, or local population surveys as a Census Enumerator.
• Check computations of interest accrued, premiums due, and settlement surrender on loan values.
• Prepare badges, passes, and identification cards, and perform other security-related duties.
• Administer and score applicant and employee aptitude, personality, and interest assessment instruments.
• Consult with managers and other personnel to resolve problems in areas such as equipment performance, output quality, and work schedules.
• Participate in the work of subordinates to facilitate productivity or to overcome difficult aspects of work.
• Design, implement, and evaluate staff training and development programs, customer service initiatives, and performance measurement criteria.
• Develop work schedules according to budgets and workloads.
• Monitor inventory levels and requisition or purchase supplies as needed.
• Discuss work problems or grievances with union representatives.
• Plan for and coordinate office services, such as equipment and supply acquisition and organization, disposal of assets, relocation, parking, maintenance, and security services.
• Arrange for necessary maintenance and repair work.
• Keep informed of provisions of labor-management agreements and their effects on departmental operations.
• Coordinate or perform activities associated with shipping, receiving, distribution, and transportation.
• Plan layouts of stockrooms, warehouses, or other storage areas, considering turnover, size, weight, and related factors pertaining to items stored.

Emerging Tasks

• Prepare and distribute invoices to bill clients and pay account expenses.
• Clean and maintain lobby and common areas, such as restock supplies and water plants.
• Perform bookkeeping activities, such as balancing accounts and conducting nightly audits.
• Prepare for basic food service, such as setting up continental breakfast and coffee and tea supplies.
• Schedule and supervise other employees.
• Provide clerical support to other departments.
• Supervise and train other clerical staff and arrange for employee training (e.g., schedule training, organize training material).

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• arrange library materials
• arrange teleconference calls
• assist with legal research
• compile data for financial reports
• compile information for court cases
• compile itinerary of planned meetings or activities
• compose draft legal pleadings
• develop travel itinerary
• distribute correspondence or mail
• edit written material
• ensure correct grammar, punctuation, or spelling
• enter time sheet information
• evaluate importance of incoming telephone calls
• file documents in court
• fill out business or government forms
• fill out purchase requisitions
• identify laws or court decisions relevant to pending cases
• locate persons ( skip tracing )
• maintain administrative services procedures manual
• maintain appointment calendar
• maintain inventory of office forms
• maintain legal forms
• maintain records, reports, or files
• maintain telephone logs
• maintain travel expense accounts
• make travel reservations
• modify work procedures or processes to meet deadlines
• obtain general information in legal office setting
• obtain information from individuals
• organize legal information or records
• plan meetings or conferences
• prepare contract documents
• prepare corporate minute books
• prepare financial reports
• prepare tax reports
• process invoices
• reconcile or balance financial records
• route multi-line telephone calls
• schedule meetings or appointments
• schedule or contract meeting facilities
• take dictation
• take meeting notes
• take messages
• transcribe spoken or written information
• type document from machine transcription
• type letters or correspondence
• understand legal terminology
• use accounting terminology
• use computers to enter, access or retrieve data
• use library or online Internet research techniques
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use shorthand writing procedures
• use telephone communication techniques
• verify investigative information
• write business correspondence
• write legal documents
• write administrative procedures services manual
• write employee orientation or training materials

Overall Experience
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers.

Education
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some may require a bachelor's degree.

Examples
These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include funeral directors, electricians, forest and conservation technicians, legal secretaries, interviewers, and insurance sales agents.

• Average hourly wage (2007) -$18.66
• Average annual wage (2007) - $38,810.00

• Projected growth (2006-2016): 11.72%
• Projected need (2006-2016): 32,264
• Employment (2006): 275,269

• Correspondence Clerks
• Court Clerks
• Law Clerks
• Medical Secretaries
• Office Clerks, General
• Paralegals and Legal Assistants
• Secretaries, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
• Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers
• Statement Clerks