This career option requires paralegal training and national certification. If you later decide to become a paralegal, you may be able to benefit from one of the accelerated paralegal programs offered by some universities. Topics include legal terminology; Legal proceedings; Place of jurisdiction and place of jurisdiction; Ethics; written communications, including letters, submissions, discoveries, communications and applications; registration, invoicing and accounting procedures; Time management; management of procedural documents; Overview of common word and data processing programs; legal research; Preparation of memos and citation format. Some of the duties of a legal secretary are administrative in nature. You can greet customers, answer the phone, schedule meetings, and manage incoming and outgoing emails. You may also be responsible for taking care of office equipment and making sure supplies are in stock. Other tasks depend on your legal training. Paralegals and lawyers in your office can count on you to transcribe memos, file subpoenas, maintain court records, and organize case documents. With experience, you can take on a supervisory role that involves coordinating administrative staff. Paralegals are more involved in legal practice and help a lawyer by researching relevant case law, preparing official documents, and compiling evidence for the court. In general, paralegals need more training and many law firms prefer certified paralegals to non-certified paralegals.
Legal secretaries don`t necessarily need a degree or certification to find a job in the field. The office skills you can learn in a legal secretary certificate program can also be applied to other areas. For example, the skills you learn can help you work as a customer service representative, administrative assistant or executive secretary in the business world. This course covers the legal terminology and management information needed to deal with a law firm. Anyone can register for the course as long as there are places available. Access to WESTLAW legal research available as part of the course. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics` national averages, the average salary for a legal secretary job is $48,980 per year.* Your salary may vary depending on your education, work experience, place of work, and even the state you live in. This course is 100% online. Start anytime. Register now This online legal secretary training program is designed to help you gain the knowledge, skills and work habits employers are looking for when hiring legal secretaries or legal administration assistants.
Legal secretaries are distinguished from other secretaries by their knowledge of terminology, procedures and documents specific to the legal field. Unlike other secretarial staff, legal administrative assistants must understand legal terminology, documents and procedures. By completing an apprenticeship, you can familiarize yourself with these concepts before entering the profession. A high school diploma may be a prerequisite. The school may request official transcripts describing all the high school or college courses you have taken. Some schools expect students to earn an undergraduate degree in office administration before enrolling in legal secretary training. Many schools offer legal secretarial programs. When deciding where to attend, it`s helpful to look for a college that has regional accreditation. This is a sign that the school is doing a good job of educating students at all levels, from certificates to university degrees.
To earn the Legal Secretary certification, you will take courses in business practices, legal issues, office technology, and professional behavior. The examples below may be similar to the courses offered by your school. Legal secretaries play a vital role in a law firm or related environment. In this role, your work can support the efforts of lawyers and paralegals and contribute to client satisfaction. My My Publishing allows students to save programs and courses that interest them. Store content from one of Alamo Colleges` catalogs in a single portfolio. Nevertheless, legal secretaries perform many of the same tasks as other administrative assistants. For example, they can submit documents, answer the phone, schedule appointments, and manage correspondence.
With training in legal secretarial work, you can prepare for an administrative career in the legal field. Yes. Legal secretaries can work in any state because, unlike lawyers, they are not tied to a specific state licensing agency. In other words, legal secretary training is valuable at the national level. Law firms rely on legal secretaries and assistants to handle day-to-day operations, such as: Prepare subpoenas, motions, and subpoenas so lawyers and paralegals can focus on preparing cases. Prepare to meet these requirements with Purdue Global`s Legal Secretary Certificate. The certificate program can usually be completed in 8 months after completing 9 courses, while the associate program typically lasts 18 months and requires 24 courses. Rasmussen University is accredited by the Commission for Higher Education. If you are looking for a reputable certificate program, you should only consider regionally accredited universities. Online programs, whether online training programs for legal secretaries or even the best online certificate programs for paralegals, can also be regionally accredited and are often the most flexible learning option.
Each school sets its own admission requirements for its Legal Secretary program. You can expect to fill out an application form where you can be asked for details about your earnings: learn how to use the industry-recognized LexisNexis® for legal research in our online legal research certificate. The Washington Online Learning Institute offers a range of paralegal programs. Options include the Senior Paralegal, Senior Paralegal, National Paralegal and Specialized Paralegal certificate programs. Courses can be completed at the student`s own pace. To learn more about your eligibility, you can complete the Free Application for State Study Assistance (FAFSA).