Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/662314
10 April, 2016 l Working World l WorkingWorld.com FEATURE ARTICLE L egal secretaries assist lawyers by handling administrative and clerical tasks, such as answering phones and typing correspondence. They also file and ensure proper indexing of legal documents and materials. Legal secretaries also keep track of filing deadlines and proofread documents. They maintain a lawyer's calendar and client lists, schedule appointments and hearings, and make travel arrangements as necessary. In addition, legal secretaries may prepare financial reports and invoices by updating lawyers' timesheets and recording the amount of time a lawyer spends on a case. Some legal secretaries report to and assist multiple lawyers working on a variety of cases. Experienced legal secretaries may assist with research by reviewing journals, newspapers, documents, or other resources. DUTIES Legal Secretaries typically do the following: • Answer telephones and take messages or transfer calls • Schedule appointments and update event calendars • Arrange staff meetings • Handle incoming and outgoing mail and faxes • Prepare memos, invoices, or other reports • Edit documents • Maintain databases and filing systems, whether electronic or paper • Perform basic bookkeeping WORK ENVIRONMENT Although secretaries and administrative assistants work in nearly every industry, many are employed in schools, hospitals, governments, and legal and medical offices. Most work full time. HOW TO BECOME A SECRETARY OR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT High school graduates who have experience using computer software applications usually qualify for entry-level positions. Although most secretaries learn their job in several weeks, many legal and medical secretaries require additional training to learn industry-specific terminology. Executive secretaries usually need several years of related work experience. PAY The median annual wage for secretaries and administrative assistants was $35,970 in May 2014. JOB OUTLOOK Employment of secretaries and administrative assistants is projected to grow 3 percent from 2014 to 2024, slower than the average for all occupations. Many job openings will result from the need to replace workers who leave the occupation. Those with work experience, particularly experience using computer software applications to do word processing and create spreadsheets, should have the best job prospects. Legal secretaries have several certification options. For example, those with 1 year of general office experience, or who have completed an approved training course, can acquire the Accredited Legal Professional (ALP) certification through a testing process administered by NALS (previously known as National Association of Legal Secretaries). NALS also offers the Professional Legal Secretary (PLS) Career Outlook: Legal Secretary QUICK FACTS: LEGAL SECRETARY 2014 Median Pay $35,970 per year $17.30 per hour Typical Entry- Level Education High school diploma or equivalent Number of Jobs, 2014 3,976,800 Job Outlook, 2014-24 3% (Slower than average) Employment Change, 2014-24 118,800 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2016-17 Edition, www.bls.gov