How to become a legal administrative assistant
Official title: Legal administrative assistants
Also called: Legal assistant, Legal secretary, Judicial assistant, Legal stenographer, Tax legal assistant, Insurance legal assistant, Collection legal assistant, Family law legal assistant, Labour law legal assistant, Litigation legal assistant, Foreclosures legal assistant, Corporate law legal assistant
Legal administrative assistants perform a variety of secretarial and administrative duties in law offices, legal departments of large firms, real estate companies, land title offices, municipal, provincial and federal courts and government.
Main tasks
- Prepare and key in correspondence and legal documents, such as deeds, wills, affidavits and briefs, from handwritten copy, shorthand and machine dictation using computers
- Review and proofread documents and correspondence to ensure compliance with legal procedures and grammatical usage
- Schedule appointments, meetings and conferences for employer
- Set up and maintain filing systems, utilizing knowledge of legal records and procedures and frequently controlling confidential materials and documents
- Open and distribute regular and electronic incoming mail and other material and coordinate the flow of information internally and with other departments or organizations
- Determine and establish office procedures and routines
- May supervise and train other staff in procedures and in the use of current software
- May attend court, meetings or conferences to take notes, minutes and dictation
How to become one
Completion of secondary school is usually required. Completion of a one- or two-year college or other program for secretaries or legal secretaries is usually required.
Ways in
- College or CEGEP: College or CEGEP program. 48% of workers hold a college or other non-degree diploma (Census 2021). Common fields: Legal support services; Business operations support and assistant services; Law (LLB, JD, BCL).
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $53,567 a year The middle half earn $42,978 to $68,250.
- About 54,900 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 61,300 are projected by 2033. (+11.7%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: balance.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a legal administrative assistant?
Completion of secondary school is usually required. Completion of a one- or two-year college or other program for secretaries or legal secretaries is usually required.
How much does a legal administrative assistant earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $53,567 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $42,978 to $68,250.
Is a legal administrative assistant a growing career in Canada?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 12% by 2033, from about 54,900 to about 61,300 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become a legal administrative assistant?
Not always. 25% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: College or CEGEP program.
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Census 2021: employment by occupation, gender and education (98-10-0449) (2021 Census), Statistics Canada Open Licence, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Statistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 (Version 1.0), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada: Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) (2024 to 2033), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank): Wages by occupation (2025 (revised 2025-11-19)), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03