| One field that offers challenge, fun and | | | | legal secretary, you will be preparing spreadsheets |
| excitement is becoming a legal secretary. Legal | | | | that require an understanding of other software |
| secretaries are in demand today and the future | | | | programs such as Excel. You must also be |
| looks bright for anyone who chooses this career | | | | extremely organized because you will be |
| path. If you are someone who is in the process | | | | scheduling depositions, site inspections, hearings, |
| of deciding what to do for the rest of your life, | | | | closings and meetings. Some legal secretaries are |
| then take some time to find out all you can about | | | | also asked to assist the legal staff in doing |
| legal secretary careers. | | | | research and working directly with other lawyers, |
| Working in a legal office requires you to have | | | | vendors and others. |
| certain administrative and professional skills. | | | | If this sounds like a career path you would like to |
| Sometimes referred to as an executive assistant, | | | | explore, then you will need some training. Many |
| you will be performing many clerical functions that | | | | community colleges and technical schools offer |
| are associated with legal work. Not only will you | | | | two-year legal secretarial courses. You can also |
| have to answer phones, type, take dictation and | | | | become certified through the National Association |
| so on but you also will have to have specialized | | | | of Legal Professionals (NALS) by passing a |
| training in several legal processes. | | | | four-hour examination. Legal secretary careers |
| Legal secretaries must have excellent written | | | | are available for the right people and offer |
| communication skills because they are responsible | | | | competitive salaries. Your salary will depend |
| for preparing legal correspondence and | | | | primarily on your training, experience, geographic |
| documents. You will be organizing and typing | | | | location and size of the law firm. It is a field that |
| pleadings, briefs, discovery documents, subpoenas | | | | will offer you a chance to be part of the exciting |
| and motions. In addition, a legal secretary must be | | | | world of law and will give you excellent |
| dependable and able to meet deadlines as required | | | | opportunities to increase your legal knowledge |
| by law. Your computer skills must include a sound | | | | base as time goes on. |
| knowledge of MSWord (or similar program). As a | | | | |