CareerProgression.co.uk

Studying To Be A Legal Secretary With Legal Courses

To become a Legal Secretary you will need to acquire a number of key skills, although there isn't one specific certification to get you there. Firstly we'll cover day to day aspects of the job, and then we'll take a look at the type of training that might be relevant.

The principal activity for all legal secretaries involves the preparation of legal documents and paperwork on behalf of barrister's, solicitors or legal executives. Some legal secretaries deal with a whole host of office administration as well - from email monitoring to petty cash.

Equally you might have to deal with legal enquiries from potential clients, or even take notes in court.

General secretarial training may well get you into Legal Secretarial work, but a specialised skill-set will add to your employment opportunities. The legal profession is split into civil law and criminal law, and most lawyers will focus on just one. So there's a big variety of legal secretarial work, as civil litigation differs hugely from criminal law. The size of office you work in will also determine how specialised your work is likely to be - firms with several legal secretaries may allocate one speciality to each.

Most of the work will be done on a PC in a single office environment. The work is mostly done during standard office hours, and although positions are usually full-time you will find some part-time work being advertised. Salaries vary from up to 15K at entry level to over 30K for an experienced professional.

Certification and Training

So, what does a legal secretary need on her/his CV? Outstanding keyboard & computer skills would be high on the list of requirements, alongside a good command of the English language. High emphasis will of course be placed on accuracy, so a patient and diligent approach will be expected.

Some employers will ask for academic qualifications, but there isn't a set standard across the board. The need for a confident approach to grammar, punctuation and spelling goes without saying. As Microsoft Office products are the industry standard, you should be able to demonstrate advanced skills in Microsoft Word.

Most legal secretaries can also use PowerPoint, Outlook and Excel. 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.

You'll notice a selection of colleges on this page. If you hold down the ctrl button on your keyboard and type 'D', you can bookmark this site. Then you can come back at your convenience to review the options.

There are a considerable number of training courses covering general secretarial and office administration skills, and they can all offer you something. In some parts of the country competition for jobs can be high, so it's important to give yourself an advantage. When you apply for work, list everything you can contribute that's constructive and relevant to the job, but don't spend too long on unrelated issues. (Watch your CV - in a job that places priority on accuracy of documentation, you don't want to drop a clanger here!)

What's the Next Stage?

It's not unusual for legal secretaries to continue training once in employment. This allows them to specialise in areas relevant to the work they're doing. Larger companies sometimes train their employees in house, but generally speaking most training is outsourced.

A variety of disciplines will be dealt with on a bespoke training course for Legal Secretaries. For starters, you'll be taught about confidential ethics and practices, and be given an overview of the documents that legal secretaries deal with.

Plus of course you'll need a grounding in the English (or Scottish) legal system. However the bulk of your studies will probably focus on the subject matter relevant to your law firm's expertise, which might be Land Law, Family Law, Criminal Law or one or more of many other legal areas.

Based on current prices, the average cost of a formal Legal Secretarial course is currently in the region of 500-1000 pounds.

That figure is exclusive of any computer software skills training you might need - add in another 100 pounds or so for an ECDL, or considerably more for MOS/MCAS. Many specialist secretarial colleges have been successfully training students for several decades. Their programmes have been proven over time.

How To Go On To Become A Legal Executive

You might in time also consider the role of Legal Executive. 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. Nevertheless, many Legal Executives now work in the lower courts on certain applications and arbitrations. Which courts they can work in largely depends on the area and level of their expertise. Legal executives may go into Public Law, Corporate Law, or maybe pursue private clients of their own.

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. With so many training options available to you, isn't it time to get the ball rolling?