Legal Secretary Job Descriptions, Average Salary, Interview Questions

To be successful in this role, you should possess an in-depth knowledge of legal procedures and terminology.

Responsibilities

• Provide secretarial support to one or more lawyers at the firm
• Edit and proofread all legal documents
• Maintain attorney calendar by scheduling conferences, depositions, and meetings
• Welcome clients and conduct initial screenings of new clients
• Go to court proceedings and type minutes
• Organize all legal documents and ensure they are updated
• Ensure all court documents are in order and filed before deadlines
• Answer emails and phone calls, and when necessary, redirect calls, etc.
• Research and authenticate important case information
• Prepare different legal documents including appeals, motions, and petitions

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent qualification required
• Associate degree in legal studies or related field
• A minimum of 5 years experience in a similar role
• In-depth knowledge of legal documents and terminology
• Skilled with MS Office
• Excellent time-management and organizational skills
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• (State) and (State) experience preferred

The Legal Secretary will perform a variety of secretarial duties for attorneys to whom assigned according to established policies and procedures. The Legal Secretary is assigned to assist several attorneys in a specific practice group and will support 5-9 attorneys. This position will be responsible for preparing practice-specific forms, updating electronic and paper files, preparing and filing court documents and e-filings, updating attorney calendars as needed and delegating work to appropriate departments, and completing other tasks as assigned in a timely and accurate manner.

Duties

• Delegate attorney work to appropriate departments
• Prepare practice-specific documents, paper court filings and e-filings, and update electronic pleading/correspondence/closing folders
• Screen telephone calls and take messages for attorneys when requested. Receive clients and visitors. Maintain good public relations with clients. Observe confidentiality of attorney-client relationship
• Read, sort, and date incoming mail when requested. Ensure that outgoing mail is delivered timely and specify types of delivery
• Schedule and calendar meetings and deadlines for attorneys

Knowledge, skills and abilities required

• Excellent spelling and proofreading skills. Typing (45+ wpm)
• Effective delegation skills
• Knowledge of court filing procedures, including electronic filing
• Ability to organize, prioritize, and produce quality work
• Self-motivated and flexible in order to complete assignments in a timely manner

Knowledge, skills and abilities desired

• MS Excel
• Intapp Flow
• iManage 10/FileSite
• Chrome River
• PDF conversions and manipulations

Education and experience

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• 3-5 years of experience in similar field required. Previous law firm experience preferred

Responsibilities

• Update schedule with client interactions
• Provide support for several attorneys
• Transfer legal correspondence to clients
• Handle assigned files and deliver legal services under attorney supervision
• Conduct administrative tasks as necessary
• Maintain and improve calendars and billing sheets
• Strong communication skills are essential to communicate with clients in an effective and efficient manner
• Utilize comprehensive knowledge of legal procedures
• Provide assistance to attorneys in the effective and efficient resolution of files

Requirements

• Excellent communication and organizational skills
• Knowledgeable in local jurisdictional and federal court rules and procedures
• Able to manage time well
• Possessing an understanding of word processing and spreadsheets is desired
• Knowledgeable about and experienced with legal correspondence and court filing procedures is a plus
• Proficiency in database management
• Practical knowledge of travel arrangements
• Well-founded grasp of conference room setup and cleanup
• General familiarity with travel arrangements
• Command of Draft Pleadings
• Comprehensive knowledge of Draft Legal Documents
• Foundational knowledge in Schedule Appointments
• Proficiency in Draft Letters
• Proven knowledge of billing software for attorneys
• Schedule Depositions experience
• 3+ years of prior relevant experience