Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants

Overview

Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants has a national median salary of $55,570 per year, with -5.2% projected job growth from 2025–2035. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation.

Description

Perform secretarial duties using legal terminology, procedures, and documents. Prepare legal papers and correspondence, such as summonses, complaints, motions, and subpoenas. May also assist with legal research.

Work Values

• Relationships
• Support
• Working Conditions

Work Styles

Responsibilities

Tasks

• Organize and maintain law libraries, documents, and case files.
• Mail, fax, or arrange for delivery of legal correspondence to clients, witnesses, and court officials.
• Prepare and distribute invoices to bill clients or pay account expenses.
• Prepare, proofread, or process legal documents, such as summonses, subpoenas, complaints, appeals, motions, or pretrial agreements.
• Make photocopies of correspondence, documents, and other printed matter.

Work Activities

• Performing Administrative Activities
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Working with Computers
• Processing Information
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
• Documenting/Recording Information
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Analyzing Data or Information
• Getting Information

Detailed Work Activities

• Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

T-A-S-K

Technology, Abilities, Skills & Knowledge

Education

Education Levels of Current Workers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation. The chart below shows the highest level of education held by people already working in this field, ages 25 and older. It includes workers who earned more education than the job requires and workers who entered the field under earlier requirements, so the largest bar is not the entry requirement. For example, if someone finished a bachelor's degree and then started working in this field, they are counted under “Bachelor's degree” here, but the job itself typically asks for a high school diploma or equivalent.

Certificates

Certifications applicable to Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants:

Video Resources