You could take a course in audio transcription, legal word processing, or a qualification like a Level 3 Diploma for Legal Secretaries.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) for a level 3 course
Legal secretary
Legal secretaries provide administrative support for lawyers and legal executives.
Average salary (a year)
£18,000 Starter
to£45,000 Experienced
Typical hours (a week)
36 to 38 a week
You could work
9am to 5pm
How to become a Legal secretary
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
- specialist courses run by a professional body
College
Apprenticeship
You could get into this job through an intermediate or advanced legal administration apprenticeship.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, for an intermediate apprenticeship
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), usually including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
More information
Work
You could start as an admin assistant with a legal business or organisation and then apply for a trainee position. For most trainee legal secretary jobs you'll need excellent word processing skills of around 45 to 50 words a minute.
Other routes
You could complete qualifications offered by The Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs and the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx). Both have information about part-time and online distance learning courses.
What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
- administration skills
- excellent verbal communication skills
- excellent written communication skills
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to work well with others
- knowledge of English language
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- the ability to use your initiative
- being able to use a computer terminal or hand-held device may be beneficial for this job.
What you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
In this role you could be:
- producing legal documents like wills and contracts
- preparing court forms and statements
- handling confidential information
- working from solicitors' written notes and audio files (dictation)
- dealing with clients
- making appointments and managing diaries
- accompanying solicitors to court or police stations
- delivering and collecting documents
- keeping records, filing and general administrative work
Working environment
You could work in an office, in a court or at a police station.
Career path and progression
With experience you could become a senior secretary, PA or office manager in larger firms.
With further qualifications, you could become a legal executive, paralegal or licensed conveyancer.
You could also work towards training as a solicitor or barrister.
Training opportunities
Apprenticeships In England
Legal Administrator Apprenticeship
- Wage : £187.01 Weekly
- Location: Worksop S80 2AH
Paralegal Apprenticeship
- Wage : Competitive salary
- Location: Manchester M2 2JT
Courses In England
CILEX Legal Secretaries - Diploma
- Provider: Seevic College
- Start date: 01 August 2019
- Location: GRAYS
CG L2 Dip for Legal Secretaries (SPL2LEG)
- Provider: Bromley College of Further and Higher Education
- Start date: 05 September 2019
- Location: Orpington