Legal Secretaries Onet SOC Code 43-6012.00 Career Description: Perform secretarial duties utilizing legal terminology, procedures, and documents. Prepare legal papers and correspondence, such as summonses, complaints, motions, and subpoenas. May also assist with legal research. Related Clusters: Business, Management, and Administration Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security

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Career Summary:

• Prepare and process legal documents and papers, such as summonses, subpoenas, complaints, appeals, motions, and pretrial agreements.
• Mail, fax, or arrange for delivery of legal correspondence to clients, witnesses, and court officials.
• Receive and place telephone calls.
• Schedule and make appointments.
• Make photocopies of correspondence, documents, and other printed matter.
• Organize and maintain law libraries, documents, and case files.
• Assist attorneys in collecting information such as employment, medical, and other records.
• Attend legal meetings, such as client interviews, hearings, or depositions, and take notes.
• Draft and type office memos.
• Review legal publications and perform database searches to identify laws and court decisions relevant to pending cases.
• Submit articles and information from searches to attorneys for review and approval for use.
• Complete various forms, such as accident reports, trial and courtroom requests, and applications for clients.

• Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
• Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
• Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
• Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

• High school graduates who have basic office skills may qualify for entry-level positions with attorneys; however, as secretaries gain experience they may become certified as an Accredited Legal Secretary (ALS) by the Certifying Board of the National Association of Legal Secretaries. Postsecondary coursework includes written communications; time and stress management; administrative office procedures; meeting and travel planning; legal terminology; ethics, professionalism, and risk management; legal document preparation; and legal research. For related information and recommended courses to prepare for this occupation, Tennessee high school students may visit the Business and Information Technology Standards and Competency Profiles online.

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

• Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

• Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point - Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Enterprising - Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Second Interest High-Point - Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
• Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
• Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
• Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
• Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
• Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
• Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
• Self Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
• Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
• Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
• Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
• Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

• Activity - Workers on this job are busy all the time.
• Working Conditions - Workers on this job have good working conditions.
• Company Policies and Practices - Workers on this job are treated fairly by the company.
• Security - Workers on this job have steady employment.
• Moral Values - Workers on this job are never pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
• Working Conditions-Mean Extent - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
• Support-Mean Extent - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
• Compensation - Workers on this job are paid well in comparison with other workers.
• Supervision, Human Relations - Workers on this job have supervisors who back up their workers with management.
• Relationships-Mean Extent - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
• Ability Utilization - Workers on this job make use of their individual abilities.
• Co-workers - Workers on this job have co-workers who are easy to get along with.
• Supervision, Technical - Workers on this job have supervisors who train their workers well.
• Achievement-Mean Extent - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Wage and salary data provided by:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics, Tennessee Department of Labor website
• TN Department of Labor & Workforce Development website
• Bureau of Economic Analysis website