The field of law for a secretary is one of the best positions to have in the world of office work. A good legal secretary will, quite frankly, never be out of work. It is a high paying job with many rewards and benefits. Salary ranges for legal secretaries can enter the three digit range in some parts of the world, particularly New York City. This course is designed both for those who are already in the field and want to hone their skills in order to demand a higher income and for those who wish to enter the field but are not sure where to start or what aspects of secretarial work are important to be hired by a good firm. While a legal secretary's job can often be quite demanding, it is rarely boring or uninteresting. You will always be busy and things often must move rather quickly at the spur of the moment. You can expect to work occasional weekends and evenings, but don't let that daunt you, as law offices are often generous with holiday time off (when courts are closed) and short work days when things are quiet. There are numerous areas of law that those in the profession may focus on whether it be litigation, divorce, real estate or criminal law. This course will cover each prevalent area so that you might get a better idea of which is best for you to pursue. It will also tell you about what skills are vital for winning that prized position you are after, or making yourself more valuable to the attorney or firm you are currently working for.
For those who lack experience, the trick is often getting your "foot in the door," this course will show you how. For those who have experience, it is often difficult to become "unstuck" and earn what you feel you deserve, this course will sharpen your skills so that you may either request a raise or be prepared to move on to another firm or sole practitioner who pays more.
This course will not require any previous educational experience. Anyone who needs to use these skills is welcome!
There are twenty comprehensive lessons written in an easy to follow, informative manner. The end of each lesson will provide you with multiple summary review questions so that you may effectively test your new found knowledge. We encourage you to use these self-test questions to determine whether you are ready to move on to the next lesson or if you should review portions of the preceding lesson before taking the next step. Don’t rush yourself. Take the time to read all portions of the lessons and complete the exercises and self-tests. Making full use of this course, in its entirety, is the first step in getting more of what you want in life and business.
Lesson 1: “The Law Office Team” topics:
- Who they are and What they do
- Educational requirements for specific jobs
- Salary ranges
- Legal specializations
- Large, Medium and Small Firms and Sole Practitioners
Lesson 2: “The Legal Secretary’s Duties” topics:
- Preparation
- Research skills you need to know
- Other vital skills
- Expectations
Lesson 3: “Typical Law Office Set-Up” topics:
- Large firm
- Medium Firm
- Small Firm
- Sole Practitioner
Lesson 4: “The Computer” topics:
- Computer skills required
- Software specific to legal work
- Creating, Saving and Formatting Documents properly
- Email, scheduling and other computer uses
Lesson 5: “Client Files” topics:
The Importance of the Legal File
Creating New Files
Updating Existing Files
Archiving Unused Files
Lesson 6: “Legal Documentation” topics:
- Proper formatting for Various Standard Documents
- Copies, How Many and Who Gets What
- Editing
Lesson 7: “Client Contact Guidelines” topics:
- How to Handle Difficult Clients
- When to Call Clients
- Dealing With Other Visitors and Callers
- Phone Etiquette
- Face to Face Etiquette
Lesson 8: “Organizational Guidelines” topics:
- Keeping your attorney prepared
- Organizing your office or work space
- Organizing your computer efficiently
- Scheduling and Re-scheduling Appointments
Lesson 9: “Legal and Business Correspondence” topics:
- Proper Letter format
- The Importance of through Editing and Saving
- Getting Signatures
- How to address Judges and Clerks
- Other Business Letters
Lesson 10: “Bookkeeping and Records” topics:
- Billing
- Petty Cash
- Ledgers
- Payroll
Lesson 11: “Research and Reference” topics:
- Preparing research
- Reference Guides for Law
- Making Calls for Research
- Gathering Required Research from a Paralegal
Lesson 12: “Preparing Legal Documents” topics:
- Briefs
- Interrogatories
- Affidavits
- Divorce Decrees
- Bankruptcy
- Other Documents Often Encountered
Lesson 13: “Final Legal Document Preparation” topics:
- Copies
- Collation
- Binding
- Packaging and Sending
Lesson 14: “Preparing Court Documents” topics:
- General Court Procedures
- Adjournments
- Preparing an Answer
- Motions to Dismiss
- Summonses
- Other Court Papers
Lesson 15: “Wills and Power of Attorney” topics:
- General Guidelines
- Using Discretion
- Dealing with the Client
- Will Changes
- Legal Matters
Lesson 16: “Assisting in Partnership and Incorporation Formation” topics:
- General Overview
- Your Duties
- Your Attorney’s Duties
Lesson 17: “Assisting in Real Estate and Foreclosure” topics:
- General Overview of Real Estate Preparation
- General Overview of Foreclosure Preparation
- Your Duties
- Your Attorney’s Duties
Lesson 18: “Assisting in Probate, Trusts and Estate Administration” topics:
- General overview of probate preparation
- General overview of Estate Administration preparation
- General overview of Trusts preparation
- Your Duties
- Your attorney’s duties
Lesson 19: “Office Politics” topics:
- How to handle difficult co-workers
- The “Water Cooler”
- Disagreements between partners and associates
- Juggling Working for Two Attorneys
- Dealing with partners and associates
Lesson 20: “Indispensable Legal Secretary Aids” topics:
- Black’s Law Dictionary
- Standard Dictionary and Thesaurus
- The Big Red Book of Everything
- Date Keepers and Handhelds
- Other vital implements (Including Aspirin)
