Lawyers work in a variety of places, and law firms are often busy. But it’s more than just lawyers. Legal secretaries or PAs are available to support lawyers to help them carry out their work effectively and efficiently. If you are considering a career in legal work but aren’t sure whether you would like the role of barrister or solicitor then you might consider a career as either a legal secretary or PA.
Legal secretaries
You will have different responsibilities depending on the legal department and case you are assigned to. These tasks may include the production of legal documents and forms as well as responding to queries from existing clients.
You can learn many legal procedures by working as a secretary and get experience in many areas. If you are able to get the right training, this could allow you to climb the ladder into higher-ranking roles like legal PA or paralegal.
A legal secretary can be paid very well, with wages that are higher than that of a standard secretary. A legal secretary who is newly qualified can start at PS14,000 to PS20,000. This will vary depending on which firm you work for and where you reside. As you get experience, your salary could rise to PS30,000. High-skilled legal secretaries may earn around PS40,000 per annum.
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Legal PAs
Legal PAs work as an assistant to one boss or more and deliver high-quality legal services to their clients. They are often the first contact point and can sometimes make decisions for their bosses.
They may perform the same work as a lawyer secretary but are often more responsible for handling administrative tasks, such as marketing or managing accounts and budgets. They are responsible to manage their own timetables and diaries as well as organizing events and engagements, and making travel arrangements.