Online Class: Legal Secretary 101

A self-paced course not only for those who are already in the field and want to hone their skills in order to demand a higher income but also for those who wish to enter the field but are not sure where to start or what aspects of secretarial work are important to be hired by a good firm.
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  • 20
    Lessons
  • 36
    Exams &
    Assignments
  • 21
    Hours
    average time
  • 2.1
    CEUs
  •  
    Video Audit
    Available
 
 

Course Description

The field of law for a secretary is one of the best positions to have in the world of office work. A good legal secretary will, quite frankly, never be out of work. It is a high paying job with many rewards and benefits. Salary ranges for legal secretaries can enter the three digit range in some parts of the world, particularly New York City. This course is designed both for those who are already in the field and want to hone their skills in order to demand a higher income and for those who wish to enter the field but are not sure where to start or what aspects of secretarial work are important to be hired by a good firm. While a legal secretary's job can often be quite demanding, it is rarely boring or uninteresting. You will always be busy and things often must move rather quickly at the spur of the moment. You can expect to work occasional weekends and evenings, but don't let that daunt you, as law offices are often generous with holiday time off (when courts are closed) and short work days when things are quiet. There are numerous areas of law that those in the profession may focus on whether it be litigation, divorce, real estate or criminal law. This course will cover each prevalent area so that you might get a better idea of which is best for you to pursue. It will also tell you about what skills are vital for winning that prized position you are after, or making yourself more valuable to the attorney or firm you are currently working for.

 

For those who lack experience, the trick is often getting your "foot in the door," this course will show you how. For those who have experience, it is often difficult to become "unstuck" and earn what you feel you deserve, this course will sharpen your skills so that you may either request a raise or be prepared to move on to another firm or sole practitioner who pays more.

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Course Lessons

  • Lesson 1: The Law Office Team

    In order for a law office to operate efficiently, a team of qualified professionals must be present and working together toward a common goal.

  • Lesson 2: The Legal Secretary's Duties and Great Tools for Accomplishing Them

    A legal secretary's duties may include preparing documentation, filing, scheduling appointments, and dealing with clients on a daily basis; however, there is much more to the job than that.

  • Lesson 3: Essential Information: Large, Medium, Small, and Sole Practitioner Firms

    Many law offices, no matter the size, will have some similarities. However, there is a great deal of difference in the manner of doing business from one size firm to another. These guidelines will point out how different sized offices work and how they d

  • Lesson 4: The Computer

    No matter what type or size firm you want to work for, you will have to have a specific set of computer skills before you will be hired anywhere. If you have already been working for a small firm and desire to move up or to a larger firm, these skills ap

  • Lesson 5: Client Files

    Most firms will devote a large portion of their office space to client files; after a brief period of working in a law office, you will quickly learn why. Paperwork collects rather quickly in the field of law. Letters, briefs, interrogatories, mot

  • Lesson 6: Legal Documentation

    There are a multitude of legal forms, and it is beyond the scope of this course to include them all; however, we have included a sample of a basic format of a Motion to Dismiss, along with a sample of what the cover letter for such a document would lo

  • Lesson 7: Client Contact Guidelines

    While the receptionist of larger or medium-sized firms may be the first person a client or visitor meets, the secretary is nearly always the liaison between attorney and client. In many cases, you will find yourself in direct contact with the client quite

  • Lesson 8: Basic Organization Guidelines

    With the excessive amounts of paperwork involved in the practice of law, it is vital to keep things in order as you work.

  • Lesson 9: Legal and Business Correspondence

    The most common method of getting data from your attorney to secretary, in most offices, is via the use of a transcription device.

  • Lesson 10: Indispensable Legal Secretary Aids

    There are several other tools that you will find to be indispensable in getting the job done quickly and accurately. This lesson describes these tools in greater detail and gives you some tips on using them properly.

  • Lesson 11: Important Legal Documents

    While you will see a multitude of legal documents in your career as a legal secretary, there are a few that are used often in the majority of settings and offices. This lesson will introduce you to those that are frequently used, sometimes on a dail

  • Lesson 12: Legal Document Preparation

    In addition to typing documentation, preparing it for sending is a large part of a legal secretary's position.

  • Lesson 13: Becoming a Notary Public

    Many legal documents must be notarized, and there are usually one or more persons who work in a law office who are certified to notarize documents.

  • Lesson 14: Wills and Power of Attorney

    This lesson will cover some of the basics of wills and powers of attorney.

  • Lesson 15: Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, and Incorporation Formation

    While partnerships and sole proprietorships may be created without the assistance of an attorney, incorporation formation is rarely done without legal assistance.

  • Lesson 16: Real Estate Law

    Because real estate law is such a major part of legal work, this lesson covers basic information on the subject and offers frequently encountered terminology found within the specialization.

  • Lesson 17: Law Office Equipment and Supplies

    Most of the equipment and supplies discussed in this lesson are common for all offices; however, there are some that are specific to law offices.

  • Lesson 18: Office Politics

    This lesson will give you some insight into potential political issues that may arise within a law office and how best to handle them.

  • Lesson 19: Electronic Research

    Research is such a large part of legal work that this lesson is devoted to the use of electronic research exclusively.

  • Lesson 20: Basic Legal Terminology Glossary

    This lesson provides some basic definitions of common terms and words that you will encounter on the job.
 

Learning Outcomes

By successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
  • Describe the law office team.
  • Describe the legal secretary's duties and great tools for accomplishing them.
  • Summarize essential information.
  • Describe how to properly file, store, and retrieve Client Files.
  • Describe legal documentation process.
  • Describe client contact guidelines.
  • Describe basic organization guidelines.
  • Summarize procedures for dealing with legal and business correspondence.
  • Describe procedures for handling important legal documents.
  • Describe legal document preparation.
  • Describe wills and power of attorney procedures.
  • Describe real estate law procedures.
  • Describe law office equipment and supplies.
  • Describe dealing with office politics.
  • Demonstrate mastery of lesson content at levels of 70% or higher.
 

Student Testimonials

  • "I like the fact that it is totally thorough." -- Azile R.
  • "Congratulations for a job well planned and done. It has been a pleasure for me to be part of your class. Thanks for the encouragement and support." -- Elizabeth L. J. L.
  • "I would encourage the instructor to continuing her hard work to reach out to those who will use their ability to make this course successful as it has been." -- Richard C.
  • "The entire course was very helpful in a very compelling way and I loved it all." -- Richard C.
  • "I enjoyed this course very much. The information was invaluable, the instructor was easy to talk to and seemed very informed in information. Even though I am still a Front Desk Receptionist and am not really using the information on a daily basis right now, it will be valuable to have taken this course as I continue to study in preparation to becoming a Legal Secretary. This course has really helped me become familiar with the law office setting and has helped me be able to understand the legal office and it's functions. " -- Jean C.

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