Legal secretary

Entry Requirements:

You can get into this job through:

• a college course
• an apprenticeship
• working towards this role
• specialist courses run by a professional body

Entry requirements:

College

You could take a course in audio transcription, legal word processing, or a qualification like a Level 3 Diploma for Legal Secretaries.

Entry requirements:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

Apprenticeship

You could get into this job through an intermediate and advanced apprenticeship in legal services or as a paralegal.

Entry requirements:

• some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
• 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

Work

You could start as an admin assistant with a legal business or organisation and then apply for a trainee position. For most trainee legal secretary jobs you'll need excellent word processing skills of around 45 to 50 words a minute.

OtherRoutes

You could complete qualifications offered by The Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs and the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx). Both have information about part-time and online distance learning courses.

Required Skills:

Digital skills : to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

Skills:

• administration skills
• legal knowledge including court procedures and government regulations
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• the ability to work well with others
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• concentration skills
• the ability to use your initiative
• customer service skills
• the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• knowledge of computer operating systems, hardware and software
• the ability to read English
• active listening skills
• excellent verbal communication skills
• excellent written communication skills
• the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
• knowledge of English language
• thinking and reasoning skills
• the ability to understand people’s reactions
• the ability to work well with your hands
• maths skills

What you'll do:

Legal secretaries provide administrative support for lawyers and legal executives.

In this role you could:

• produce legal documents like wills and contracts
• prepare court forms and statements
• handle confidential information
• work from solicitors' written notes and audio files (dictation)
• deal with clients
• make appointments and manage diaries
• accompany solicitors to court or police stations
• deliver and collect documents
• do general administrative work like record keeping and filing

Location : You could work in an office, in a court or at a police station.

Salary:

Starter : £20,000
Experienced : £45,000

These figures are a guide

Working hours:

36 - 38 hours a week

Working Pattern is 9am to 5pm

Career Path:

With experience you could become a senior secretary, PA or office manager in larger firms.

With further qualifications, you could become a legal executive, paralegal or licensed conveyancer.

You could also work towards training as a solicitor or barrister.