How to become a Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistant
Official title: Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Also called: Confidential Secretary, Legal Administrative Assistant (Legal Admin Assistant), Legal Administrator (Legal Admin), Legal Coordinator, Legal Management Assistant, Legal Office Support Assistant, Legal Practice Assistant, Legal Secretary, Litigation Secretary, Magistrate Assistant
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.
Main tasks
- Organize and maintain law libraries, documents, and case files.
- Mail, fax, or arrange for delivery of legal correspondence to clients, witnesses, and court officials.
- Prepare and distribute invoices to bill clients or pay account expenses.
- Prepare, proofread, or process legal documents, such as summonses, subpoenas, complaints, appeals, motions, or pretrial agreements.
- Make photocopies of correspondence, documents, and other printed matter.
- Assist attorneys in collecting information such as employment, medical, and other records.
- Complete various forms, such as accident reports, trial and courtroom requests, and applications for clients.
- Receive and place telephone calls.
How to become one
High school graduates who are comfortable using word processing and spreadsheet programs usually qualify for entry-level positions. Although workers typically learn their duties over several weeks on the job, legal and medical secretaries and administrative assistants may need additional training for industry-specific terminology. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants typically need several years of related work experience.
Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent
Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Ways in
- Apprenticeship: Legal Secretary.
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $55,570 a year The middle half earn $44,450 to $71,970.
- About 157,600 people work in this job now, and about 149,300 are projected by 2035. (-5.2%)
- People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.
Related jobs
- Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants
- Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistant?
High school graduates who are comfortable using word processing and spreadsheet programs usually qualify for entry-level positions. Although workers typically learn their duties over several weeks on the job, legal and medical secretaries and administrative assistants may need additional training for industry-specific terminology. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants typically need several years of related work experience.
How much does a Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistant earn in the US?
Median full-time pay is $55,570 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $44,450 to $71,970.
Is a Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistant a growing career in the US?
Employment is projected to fall 5% by 2035, from about 157,600 to about 149,300 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Do you need a degree to become a Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistant?
Not always. 26% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Legal Secretary.
Will AI change the work of a Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistant?
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.
Sources
- Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.