Occupation · SOC 43-6012
Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Perform secretarial duties using legal terminology, procedures, and documents. Prepare legal papers and correspondence, such as summonses, complaints, motions, and subpoenas. May also assist with legal research.
Median wage
$54,140
$35,530–$87,660
Projected growth
-5.8%
Declining
Annual openings
-900
per year
Employed (US)
154,540
Job Zone 3
Typical preparation
Medium preparation
Stackable credential programs
38 mapped
Core skills
Reading ComprehensionActive ListeningWritingSpeakingTime ManagementSocial PerceptivenessService OrientationMonitoringCritical ThinkingCoordinationComplex Problem SolvingJudgment and Decision MakingActive LearningPersuasionLearning StrategiesNegotiationMathematicsManagement of Personnel ResourcesInstructingSystems EvaluationSystems AnalysisQuality Control AnalysisOperations MonitoringTechnology DesignProgrammingTroubleshootingOperations AnalysisManagement of Financial ResourcesScienceRepairingOperation and ControlManagement of Material ResourcesInstallationEquipment SelectionEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
AdministrativeEnglish LanguageLaw and GovernmentCustomer and Personal ServiceComputers and ElectronicsAdministration and ManagementPublic Safety and SecurityCommunications and MediaEconomics and AccountingEducation and TrainingPersonnel and Human ResourcesTelecommunicationsSales and MarketingMathematicsProduction and ProcessingTherapy and CounselingPsychologySociology and AnthropologyForeign LanguageMedicine and DentistryGeographyTransportationDesignHistory and ArcheologyPhilosophy and TheologyMechanicalBiologyPhysicsChemistryFood ProductionFine ArtsEngineering and TechnologyBuilding and Construction
Technology & tools
A1-LawADP Workforce NowAbacusNext HotDocsAccounting softwareAderant CompuLawAdobe AcrobatAmortization calculation softwareAppointment scheduling softwareBilling softwareCase management softwareChrome River ExpenseDatabase softwareDesktop publishing softwareDropboxElectronic adjudication management systems EAMElectronic diary softwareEmail softwareFiling system softwareIBM Lotus NotesIntuit QuickBooksLegal research softwareLegal softwareLexisNexisLexisNexis Time MattersLitigation management softwareMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft SharePoint ServerMicrosoft VisioMicrosoft WordPresentation softwarePublic access to electronic court records PACERQuickenSage 50 AccountingSpreadsheet softwareThomson Reuters Elite Billing ManagerThomson Reuters Westlaw
Representative tasks
Performing Administrative ActivitiesCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesWorking with ComputersProcessing InformationOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDocumenting/Recording InformationMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsAnalyzing Data or InformationGetting InformationScheduling Work and ActivitiesCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersThinking CreativelyAssisting and Caring for OthersEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsTraining and Teaching OthersPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersCoaching and Developing OthersJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsDeveloping and Building TeamsResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesHandling and Moving ObjectsPerforming General Physical ActivitiesProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersControlling Machines and ProcessesStaffing Organizational UnitsSelling or Influencing OthersRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Legal documents and case files — organize and label under direct attorney supervision in a law office filing system.Word processing software — produce basic legal correspondence drafts following firm-provided templates and style guides.Incoming and outgoing telephone calls — receive and route accurately using law office phone protocols under close guidance.Photocopies of correspondence and printed legal matter — produce and collate following established office procedures.Legal mail and fax transmissions — prepare and send to clients and court officials under step-by-step supervisor direction.Client intake forms and accident report documents — complete legibly using information supplied by supervising attorneys.Legal terminology and document types — recognize and distinguish basic categories such as motions, summonses, and subpoenas in a supervised setting.Calendar and scheduling software — enter attorney appointments and court dates as directed by supervising staff.Law library materials and reference binders — retrieve, refile, and maintain organization under established library protocols.Client information and employment records — gather and consolidate from provided sources under attorney instruction in support of case preparation.
developing
Legal case files and document repositories — maintain and audit for completeness with minimal oversight across multiple active matters in a busy law office.Legal documents including subpoenas, complaints, and pretrial agreements — prepare and proofread routinely, applying knowledge of jurisdictional formatting requirements.Client invoices and billing statements — prepare and distribute using billing and invoicing software, reconciling entries against recorded attorney time.Legal correspondence — coordinate delivery via mail, fax, and courier services to clients, witnesses, and court officials within filing deadlines.Document management software — organize, retrieve, and version-control legal files across concurrent cases with reduced supervision.Medical, employment, and court records — request and compile for attorneys in support of discovery and case-building activities.Trial and courtroom request forms — complete accurately by cross-referencing case schedules and procedural requirements.Telephone communications with clients and opposing counsel — manage professionally, applying active listening and social perceptiveness in a legal services environment.Accounting software — process routine account payable expenses and reconcile law firm vendor invoices under standard firm procedures.Time management across competing deadlines — prioritize and sequence administrative tasks to ensure all court-imposed filing dates are met.
proficient
Complex legal documents such as appeals, motions, and settlement agreements — draft, proofread, and finalize autonomously to court-ready standard across diverse practice areas.Case file systems and law library resources — design and maintain comprehensive organizational structures that support seamless attorney retrieval and regulatory compliance.Client billing cycles and invoice disputes — manage end-to-end using billing and invoicing software, resolving discrepancies and escalating only exceptional issues.Non-routine legal correspondence and time-sensitive filings — coordinate multi-channel delivery with courts, clients, and agencies while monitoring confirmation of receipt.Attorney information-gathering efforts — lead independently, identifying and subpoenaing employment, medical, and expert records critical to litigation strategy.Cloud-based document access and collaboration platforms — administer and troubleshoot to ensure secure, audit-compliant sharing among attorneys and external parties.Critical review of completed legal forms and intake documents — evaluate for accuracy, completeness, and compliance before submission to courts or regulatory bodies.Desktop publishing and word processing tools — produce professionally formatted pleadings, briefs, and client-facing materials that meet exacting court presentation standards.Confidential client communications — handle with demonstrated integrity and cautiousness, exercising independent judgment on sensitivity and escalation thresholds.Office-wide scheduling and docket management — maintain master litigation calendars, anticipating conflicts and coordinating across multiple attorneys' caseloads.
advanced
Administrative support standards and document-management policies — establish and enforce firm-wide to ensure consistency, accuracy, and regulatory compliance across all practice groups.Legal secretarial and administrative staff — mentor, train, and evaluate to develop competency at emerging and developing levels in document preparation and court procedures.Firm billing and accounts payable workflows — redesign and optimize using integrated accounting and project management software to improve efficiency and reduce revenue leakage.Technology adoption initiatives — lead evaluation and rollout of new document management, scheduling, and cloud-sharing platforms across the administrative department.Cross-functional coordination between attorneys, paralegals, and administrative teams — orchestrate at organizational scale to ensure seamless case lifecycle management.Quality assurance protocols for legal document production — develop and audit to uphold zero-defect standards in high-stakes litigation and transactional environments.Vendor and court liaison relationships — cultivate and manage strategically, negotiating service levels for courier, process serving, and legal research resources.Office operational procedures and administrative handbooks — author and periodically revise to reflect evolving court rules, technology changes, and firm growth.Risk and compliance oversight for administrative functions — identify procedural vulnerabilities in filing, records retention, and client communication and implement corrective controls.Strategic resource planning for the administrative support function — forecast staffing, technology, and workflow needs in alignment with firm growth and practice area priorities.
Also known as
20 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Accredited Legal SecretaryCertified Legal Secretary SpecialistConfidential SecretaryLaw Firm AdministratorLaw Office AssistantLaw SecretaryLegal Administrative Assistant (Legal Admin Assistant)Legal Administrator (Legal Admin)Legal CoordinatorLegal Executive Assistant (Legal Exec Assistant)Legal Management AssistantLegal Office Support AssistantLegal Practice AssistantLegal ReceptionistLegal SecretaryLitigation Legal SecretaryLitigation SecretaryMagistrate AssistantParalegal SecretarySecretary