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Looking Towards Legal Secretary Training..

Legal secretaries come into the profession in a variety of different ways - some with more specialised skills than others. So let's take a look at the job itself, and explore the various options that could lead into it.

Most days, the bulk of a legal secretary's work will be typing up official papers such as contracts or wills, and letters from lawyers to their clients. You might also be involved with other administrative tasks, such as diary organising and appointment booking. Finally, there are tasks that will require some legal understanding, for example when taking calls from clients. Many legal secretaries start off as general secretaries, but increasingly those who've specialised are being considered more suitable.

Solicitors themselves tend to specialise - some deal with civil law and others with criminal law. Thus it could be you find work with a criminal lawyer, which would be a very different experience to working with a company lawyer.

If you're the only legal secretary working in a small office, the diversity of your work is likely to be greater than if you work with many others in a big office.

So to re-cap - most of the work will be done sitting at your desk in the office. Typical hours will be Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm - although part-time work, flexi-time or even job sharing may be possible. Starting salaries generally vary from twelve to fifteen thousand pounds a year. However, a top legal secretary can command a very attractive thirty thousand pound salary after a few years.

Training To Become A Legal Secretary

Which skills are most important to a future employer? Computer user skills and keyboard skills are top of the list, closely followed by an excellent aptitude for written English. Painstaking attention to detail will be needed alongside an appreciation of legal terminology and concepts.

Employers may stipulate certain academic qualifications, though usually this is just to demonstrate an aptitudelevel. Obviously without good spelling and composition you're unlikely to succeed in this work.

An ability to use Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel and probably PowerPoint is essential - with particular emphasis on skills in Word. For training to Proficient or Expert level in all the necessary Microsoft applications, the training to look at is Microsoft Office Specialist (MS Office 2003) or Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MS Office 2007).

You'll find links and adverts from several training providers here, so it would be worthwhile bookmarking this page ('CTRL-D' will do the trick). That way you'll find it easily if you want to come back and explore any of them.

Some of the training colleges offer very helpful advice for people looking to get started in secretarial work. As many people want to get into this type of work, you need to have a good edge. Make sure that you convey a bright and attentive professional attitude, display team spirit and good spelling and grammar. To get an interview in the first place you must ensure your CV presents the right image - any mistakes here would take you straight off the short-list!

What Is My Route To Get In?

Because of the precise nature of some legal companies, it's not uncommon for legal secretaries to receive on the job training in certain areas. So for example the law firm might have their own training programme for new employees, or they might allow time for college or home study.

Legal secretarial training covers many areas. You might start by learning about legal forms and documents and confidentiality procedures. Other modules might deal with the legal system itself, or how a court is structured. Finally you'll come onto the specialist areas. Your choice will reflect your company's expertise, so it could be anything from Family Law to Company Law, or Conveyancing to Criminal Law.

In 2010 you can expect to invest from five hundred pounds upwards for professional legal secretarial training and certifications. (That would usually not include professional computer training, although some reference may be made to it.) Some training requires college attendance, but more usually courses can be taken in your own time on a distance learning basis.

Training To Become A Legal Executive

Further training can lead to becoming a qualified Legal Executive. This would provide for a more senior legal position with great prospects. In many ways they act on behalf of clients in the same manner as a lawyer would, but they cannot represent them in High Court. It is very common today though to see Legal Executives working in all courts outside of the High Court. Specialised training is relevant here as well as course. As with other lawyers, legal execs can cover a wide range of disciplines.

So to re-cap, training to become a Legal Secretary can lead to a very fulfilling and rewarding career. Shouldn't you start immediately to uncover the possibilities waiting for you?