NewCareersTraining.co.uk

Becoming An Effective Secretary With Receptionist Training

You won't find any hard and fast rules for getting a position as a legal secretary, though clearly the role demands a number of key competencies. We'll go on to suggest possible training later on, but first let's get a feel for what the job entails.

Essentially you will be expected to have excellent typing skills as the bulk of the work involves preparing legal documents. You might also be involved with other administrative tasks, such as diary organising and appointment booking. And of course sometimes solicitors will need you to attend court with them or visit a client in police custody.

A lot of legal secretaries started their careers in a more general secretarial role, but employment chances are always better for those who've had some legal training.

Law firms usually specialise, for example in criminal law, civil law or corporate law. So your knowledge will build depending on where you work - it could be you gain employment with a solicitor who handles wills and probate for instance.

As a rule though, the bigger the practice the more specialised the work is likely to be. Small local firms may only have one legal secretary who will handle everything.

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. Most legal secretaries earn over 15,000pa after their first year in the industry, and many go on to receive excellent remuneration packages after several years.

Certification and Training

So, what does a legal secretary need on her/his CV? Touch typing, audio and shorthand skills are essential, plus a good knowledge of how to use basic computer software. You should also be very accurate, pay attention to detail, have good organisational skills and an interest in the law.

Whilst there are no real minimum qualifications to starting as a Legal Secretary, employers may look for GCSE's (especially in English and Maths.) The need for a confident approach to grammar, punctuation and spelling goes without saying. A working knowledge of Microsoft Word will be expected, and knowledge of other Microsoft applications a definite advantage. 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).

As there are a number of training course providers on this site, here's a quick tip - Press Ctrl and D at the same time and you can Bookmark this webpage for easy reference. Then you can get straight back here with one click of your mouse!

Any administrative or secretarial qualifications will stand you in good stead. As many people want to get into this type of work, you need to have a good edge. When you apply for work, list everything you can contribute that's constructive and relevant to the job, but don't spend too long on unrelated issues. Having said that, always be honest. People appreciate honesty, and claiming to be something you're not usually ends up causing you more problems.

What Is My Route To Get In?

Many legal secretaries carry on with further training as they pursue their careers. They can then become experts in their company's specialism. Some organisations offer in-house training programmes and others may encourage employees to work towards external professional qualifications.

Training specifically for legal secretarial work features a diverse range of topics. In the first place you need to have an understanding about the key factors concerning legal documentation. Knowledge of how to use the internet for legal matters will be covered, plus the basics of the English legal system.

But the specialist area you're employed in will be where most attention is focused - and so you will most likely choose from family law, company law, criminal law, civil litigation, wills and probate or conveyancing.

Professional training to become a Legal Secretary usually costs in the region of 600 to 850 pounds, but expect to pay more in some areas. (That would usually not include professional computer training, although some reference may be made to it.) Training usually involves some type of distance or blended learning facilities and students require access to a computer.

What Goes into Becoming a Legal Executive?

Further training can lead to becoming a qualified Legal Executive. There are great career opportunities for Legal Executives. Legal Executives are able to carry out most of the same tasks as solicitors, (with the exception of High Court work) but work under the supervision of a solicitor. Because of the Extended Rights of Audience that now exist though, many Legal Executives are successfully representing people in the Family Proceedings Courts, The County Courts and the Magistrates Courts. Clearly the level of training they've had will reflect the work they do. Most of the wide ranges of disciplines open to other lawyers are also open to legal execs.

Hopefully this has helped you to understand Legal Secretarial work and the training that you might need to do. Shouldn't you start immediately to uncover the possibilities waiting for you?