Legal secretaries often prepare documents, including legal briefs, court subpoenas, spreadsheets and other office-related letters. Many legal secretaries also organize and maintain all legal files kept on-site. Some legal secretaries also maintain electronic-filing databases.
Legal secretaries often provide lawyers with direct assistance, such as helping with research for cases, gathering necessary documents for trials and submitting paperwork to courthouses. Other duties may include scheduling client appointments, answering calls, taking notes during legal meetings and maintaining the firm's legal research references.
Since most law firms and legal offices deal with multiple clients simultaneously, a legal secretary requires the skills to multitask effectively. Strong organizational skills and attention to detail are also essential for this career. Computer skills are required since many legal documents are created and altered electronically. Good communication skills are also necessary to instruct staff members and to address clients. Legal secretaries need to be familiar with legal terminology and government regulations.