If you think a legal secretary is the person bringing coffee to the attorneys, think again. The old days of secretaries only handling steno pads and answering the phones are gone. Legal secretaries are highly trained assistants who perform a very important role in law offices. Legal secretary courses prepare people interested in assisting attorneys for a career as a legal secretary.

Those interested in a career as a legal secretary also work for insurance agencies, legal departments of corporations, banks/deed and title companies, or for local, state or federal government agencies.   

Legal secretaries perform many of the duties of secretaries in the office, which might include data entry, typing dictation and preparing documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Legal secretaries also specifically write or prepare attorney correspondence, and legal papers such as subpoenas, complaints, motions, summonses and responses while being supervised by attorneys or paralegals in the office. Legal secretaries also assist paralegals in research in legal journals and may help them review citations in legal briefs, as well as verifying quotes. Legal secretary courses offer students the opportunity to learn the basics of office management as well as the basics of law.

Those interested in taking legal secretary courses must have a high school diploma or have finished an alternative diploma program. Legal secretary courses typically include classes in keyboarding, English and English composition, business law, legal document preparation, business math, dictation and transcription, legal transcription, speedwriting and may include some coursework in humanities and human resources.

Those interested in legal secretary courses can choose from a variety of certificate programs, or associate's degree programs. Once legal secretary courses are completed and you accept a position, you can choose to gain certification through accredited professional associations. Those interested in furthering their education can go on to pursue coursework in business management or as a paralegal.

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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the occupation of secretary is expected to be one of the occupations with the largest number of new jobs. As office technology evolves and changes, the need for highly skilled secretaries will continue to expand. With over 1 million licensed attorneys in the United States, the specific need for secretaries who have completed legal secretary courses will soar. In 2006, there were approximately 275,000 legal secretaries in the U.S. That number is expected to grow by 12 percent by 2016.

Administrative assistants or secretaries who have completed legal secretary courses can expect to earn a median income in excess of $38,000. Those starting in the profession, earn the lowest at about $23,000 per year, while the more experienced legal secretaries earn a top salary of $49,000 per year. Salaries vary dependant on the level of skill, certificate and certification as a legal secretary. Those interested in the career should take legal secretary courses and possibly pursue certification with a professional organization to earn higher salaries.

Legal secretaries are sometimes called the backbone of the offices, keeping everything running smoothly, organizing data, arranging meetings, doing research and preparing documents for the Legal Eagles in the industry. For this highly challenging and exciting career, find a school near you that offers legal secretary courses and become the backbone of an office soon!