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Legal Secretary Career Information

A legal secretary, also known as a lawyer's assistant, works in a law firm or private practice assisting the partners or associates in a number of legal related duties. Legal Secretary duties include, but are not limited to answering phones, transcription, typing, filing, data entry, scheduling, filing court documents, and maintenance of cases in a database. In some offices a legal secretary will conduct legal research for cases and contract preparation under the supervision of an attorney. Law firms have worked to create more efficiently run practices and incorporating legal secretaries into the firms infrastructure to handle some of the administrative work. The legal secretary has become a valuable member of the law firm. The legal secretary profession blossomed and positions in some firms have become quite competitive due to the attractive salaries and benefits offered.

Legal Secretary General Qualifications

Wondering how to become a Legal Secretary? There is no set education requirement for a legal secretary and in most cases a high school diploma or equivalent will suffice. As mentioned before, legal secretary salaries and benefit packages are quite impressive and therefore, legal secretary jobs have become competitive. Going through a Legal Secretary training program, legal office management program, Legal Administration Program or taking legal secretary courses or related courses can put you at a more competitive advantage whether you are an experienced legal secretary or entry-level.

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Find Accredited Online Legal Office Management & Paralegal Programs

Typical personality traits that law firms look for in a legal secretary include being assertive, professional, detail oriented, having excellent communication skills, having the ability to prioritize and multi-task, a strong work ethic, and a positive attitude. These could be nice attributes to put on a legal secretary resume describing yourself. Preferred qualifications may include knowledge of Abacus (practice management software covering accounting, scheduling and more) and Microsoft Word.

Certification can also differentiate you. Legal Secretaries International (LSI) offers various certification specialties to become a Certified Legal Secretary Specialist including Civil Litigation, Probate, Real Estate, Business Law, Criminal Law, and Intellectual Property. To be eligible for certification exam through the LSI you must have 5 years of legal work experience of which 3 years can be substituted with a 4-year degree and 2 years with a 2-year degree. Certification is a way to demonstrate your aptitude and dedication to the legal secretary field. The NALS also offers a Professional Legal Secretary certification for those with 3 or more years of work experience in the legal field, of which a degree or ALS certification can waive portions of.

Legal Secretary Salary and Job Outlook

The majority of law firms look for legal secretaries with at least two years of experience as a legal secretary and preferably in the same specialty area of law. The firms that do hire entry-level legal secretaries usually offer some sort of on the job training. Expect entry-level positions to pay on the low end. For an entry-level candidate, going through a legal secretary training program or taking some courses in legal secretary skills can demonstrate a dedication to the career and the initiative employers want to see as well as waive the experience qualification the employer may have put in their job posting. Salaries for legal secretaries vary greatly based on location, size of firm, experience and other factors. Legal Secretaries can earn anywhere from around $20,000 a year to well over $70,000 a year. Most law firms offer a benefits package to their legal secretaries in addition to a salary and sometimes offer bonuses.

Some legal secretaries advance their career into office management, become paralegals and some have attended law school and become attorneys. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment of legal secretaries will increase 12% through 2016, significantly more job growth than other fields a secretary or administrative may work in.

Select Online Legal Office Management & Paralegal Programs

= Editor's Recommended Legal Office Management, Legal Secretary and Paralegal Programs

Herzing University Online: Herzing University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, which is an accrediting body recognized by the US Department of Education. Graduates of the AS in Legal Assisting and Paralegal program are eligible to sit for the Certified Legal Assistant and Certified Paralegal exams administered by the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA).

AS in Legal Assisting and Paralegal
BS in Legal Studies

Learn more about these programs today.

Kaplan University - School of Legal Studies: (Online) The Kaplan University School of Legal Studies is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, which is recognized by the NFPA and NALA. In addition to meeting the NFPA and NALA work experience requirements, graduates of the Kaplan University paralegal programs will be eligible to sit for the NFPA-PACE Exam and the NALA CLA Exam. Request no obligation information from these paralegal programs today.

AAS in Paralegal Studies
BS in Paralegal Studies
Post-Baccalaureate Pathway to Paralegal Certificate
Advanced Start in BS Paralegal Studies

Virginia College:

AS in Paralegal Studies

Rasmussen College: Request information from the online program that fits your needs.

Associate's in Office Management - Legal/Criminal Justice
Associate's in Criminal Justice
Associate's - Corrections
Associate's - Crime Scene Evidence
Associate's Law Enforcement
Associate's Homeland Security

Colorado Technical University/Stonecliffe College: (Online) Stonecliffe College Online offers one of the most up to date and accredited paralegal associate degree programs in the country. Students are educated in document organization systems, handling document production, how to write legal correspondence and other relevant skills necessary for paralegal career preparation. Colorado Technical University paralegal programs are accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Graduates will be eligible to sit for the NFPA-PACE Exam and the NALA CLA Exam, with the required work experience.

A.S. Paralegal Studies

Everest University Online: (Online) The Everest College Online paralegal associate and bachelor degree programs are widely recognized for graduating some of the most qualified and successful paralegals in the country. Everest College, formerly known as Florida Metropolitan University, ranked in the top 100 paralegal schools by www.paralegal100.com. Everest College Online is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, which with the required work experience, makes graduates eligible to sit for the NFPA-PACE Exam and the NALA CLA Exam.

Paralegal Associate's Degree
Paralegal Bachelor's Degree

Minnesota School of Business: (Online) Request information from the online paralegal program today.

Certificate in Paralegal
Associate's in Paralegal
Bachelor's in Paralegal

Southwest Florida College Online: (Online) Request information from the associate's in Paralegal Studies program today.

Associate's in Paralegal Studies

Campus Based Legal Secretary Programs By State

Connecticut

Fox Institute of Business - West Hartford

Programs Offered: Certificate | Legal Office Professional

Click Here for information about this program

Indiana

International Business College - Fort Wayne and Indianapolis

Programs Offered: Diploma, Associate's | Legal Secretary, Paralegal

Click Here for information about the Fort Wayne Programs
Click Here for information about the Indianapolis Programs

Iowa

Kaplan University - Davenport

Programs Offered: Certificate | Legal Secretary

Click Here for information about the Davenport Program

Michigan

The Academy of Court Reporting - Clawson, MI

Programs Offered: Diploma, Certificate | Legal Secretary, Court Reporting, Legal Admin Assistant, Paralegal, Private Investigation

Click Here to request information about these programs.

Minnesota

Globe University - Minnesota School of Business

Programs Offered: Diploma, Associate's, Bachelor's | Legal Administrative Assistant, Paralegal, Criminal Justice

Click on a campus location to request program information: Brooklyn Center, Plymouth, Richfield / Bloomington, Shakopee, St. Cloud, Rochester, Blaine

Missouri

Hickey College - St. Louis

Programs Offered: Diploma, Associate's | Legal Administration, Paralegal

Click Here to request information about Hickey College's programs.

Nevada

Career College of Northern Nevada

Programs Offered: Diploma, Associate's | Legal Office Administrative Assistant, Paralegal Studies

Click Here to request information about these programs

New Jersey

Fox Institute of Business

Programs Offered: Certificate | Legal Office Professional

Click on a campus location to request free program information: West Hartford, Clifton

Harris School - Linwood

Programs Offered: Diploma | Legal Office Technology (6 & 9 Month Programs)

Click Here to request program information.

Harris School of Business

Programs Offered: Certificate | Legal Office Technology

Click a campus location to request program information: Cherry Hill, Hamilton (Trenton)

New York

Elmira Business Institute

Programs Offered: Certificate | Law Office Support

Click on a campus location to request program information: Elmira, Vestal

North Carolina

Kings College - Charlotte

Programs Offered: Diploma, Associate's | Legal Administrative Assistant, Paralegal

Click Here to request program information

North Dakota

Rasmussen College - Bismarck

Programs Offered: Associate's, Bachelor's | Office Management - Legal/Criminal Justice, Client Services/Corrections, Criminal Justice, Crime Scene Evidence, Criminal Offenders, Corrections, Homeland Security, Investigation/Law Enforcement, Legal/Criminal Justice

Click Here to request program information

Ohio

Bradford School - Columbus

Programs Offered: Diploma, Associate's | Legal Administration, Paralegal

Click Here to request information from Bradford School.

The Academy of Court Reporting

Programs Offered: Certificate, Diploma, Associate's | Legal Secretary, Court Reporting, Legal Office Clerk, Paralegal, Private Investigation

Click a campus location to request program information: Akron, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus

Trumbull Business College - Warren

Programs Offered: Diploma, Associate's | Legal Secretarial Science, Legal Administrative Assisting

Click Here to request program information

Pennsylvania

Bradford School - Pittsburgh

Programs Offered: Diploma, Associate's | Legal Secretarial, Legal Administration, Paralegal

Click Here to request information from Bradford School.

Kaplan Career Institute - ICM Campus - Pittsburgh

Programs Offered: Associate's | Legal Office Administration, Criminal Justice, Criminal Justice/Cybercrime

Click Here to request program information

The Academy of Court Reporting - Pittsburgh

Programs Offered: Diploma | Legal Secretary, Court Reporting, Legal Office Clerk, Paralegal, Private Investigation, Paralegal Office Administration

Click Here to request program information

The PJA School - Upper Darby

Programs Offered: Associate's | Legal Secretary, Paralegal

Click Here to request program information

Texas

Bradford School of Business - Houston

Programs Offered: Diploma, Associate's | Legal Administrative Assisting

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Capitol City Careers - Austin

Programs Offered: Diploma, Certificate | Legal Administrative Assistant

Click Here to request program information

International Business College - El Paso

Programs Offered: Certificate | Legal Office Administration

Click a campus location to request program information: El Paso - West, El Paso - East

Wisconsin

Rasmussen College - Green Bay

Programs Offered: Certificate, Associate's, Bachelor's | Office Management - Legal/Criminal Justice, Paralegal, Client Services/Corrections, Criminal Justice, Crime Scene Evidence, Criminal Offenders, Corrections, Homeland Security, Investigation/Law Enforcement, Legal/Criminal Justice

Click Here to request program information

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