A legal secretary provides essential administrative support in law firms or legal departments. The role involves preparing legal documents such as contracts, wills and court papers, organising meetings, handling correspondence, and maintaining files. Legal secretaries are often the first point of contact for clients and play a key part in ensuring the smooth running of legal practices. Attention to detail, strong organisational skills, and a good understanding of legal terminology are important for this role. While formal qualifications are not always required, courses in legal administration or secretarial work can be helpful, as can experience with word processing and legal software.
Legal secretaries in the UK typically earn between £19,000 and £35,000 per year, depending on experience and location.
There are over 25,000 people employed as legal secretaries in the UK, with steady demand in cities and legal hubs.
Legal secretaries usually work around 37 to 40 hours per week, with some flexibility depending on the employer.
Assists solicitors specialising in property law, handling paperwork for house sales, purchases, and transfers.
Supports lawyers working on family-related cases such as divorce, child custody, and adoption, preparing legal documents and liaising with clients.
Works with solicitors or barristers involved in court cases, managing case files, court documents, and correspondence related to legal proceedings.
Achieve at least 5 GCSEs at grades 9-4, including English and Maths.
Employers typically require a good standard of general education. Strong English skills are important because the job involves a lot of written communication and document preparation. Maths may also be useful for administrative tasks like billing.
Take a college course or diploma in legal secretarial work, business administration, or a related field.
Colleges and private training providers offer specialist courses such as a Level 2 or 3 Diploma for Legal Secretaries, which covers legal terminology, document production, and legal procedures. These can boost employability, especially for those without prior legal experience.
Build proficiency in Microsoft Office and typing speed.
Legal secretaries need to be confident with word processing, spreadsheets, email, and using legal case management software. Aim for a typing speed of at least 50 words per minute. Many colleges include IT training as part of their courses, but you can also practise independently.
Look for junior administrative or legal support positions to gain experience.
You can start as an office junior, admin assistant, or receptionist in a law firm or legal department. This experience will introduce you to the legal work environment and provide practical administrative skills.
Gain hands-on experience through internships or voluntary work.
Some legal practices offer short-term placements or work experience for students and those new to the field. Volunteering in roles that involve administration, even outside the legal sector, can also be valuable and show commitment to prospective employers.
Create a CV highlighting your qualifications, skills, and relevant experience.
Tailor your CV to emphasise your administrative abilities, IT skills, and any legal knowledge or experience. Include details of any legal secretarial courses, work placements, or relevant voluntary work. Write a focused cover letter for each application.
Prepare for interviews and practical tests, often required by employers.
You may be asked to complete typing or IT assessments as part of the recruitment process. Practice answering common interview questions about your organisational skills, attention to detail, and understanding of confidentiality in a legal setting.
Explore relevant apprenticeships that can help you kickstart your career in Legal Secretary. Apprenticeships offer hands-on experience and training while earning a wage.
A Legal Secretary and a Paralegal both support legal professionals, often preparing documents, conducting research, and managing case files. They require similar knowledge of legal processes and terminology, making them closely aligned in terms of qualifications and responsibilities.
You can get into this job through:
You could study for a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in law, legal studies or paralegal practice.
It's competitive to get a place on a law degree, so you'll need to have good grades when you apply.
You'll usually need:
You could do a college course before you look for paralegal work.
Courses include:
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
You could take a Paralegal Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship.
This usually takes 2 years to complete as a mix of workplace learning and study.
You could also do a Legal Technician (conveyancing or probate) Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship if you wanted to specialise in either of these two areas.
Employers will set their own entry requirements.
You might be able to find work with a legal practice as an admin assistant and do training on the job to qualify.
You can do training through the Institute of Paralegals or the National Association of Licensed Paralegals.
You'll be expected to have GCSEs or A levels and a good standard of English.
You'll find it helpful to get some experience in the area of law you want to work in, such as family, criminal or property law.
As well as opportunities with law firms, look out for placements in legal departments of businesses, charities, central and local government.
You can find out more about paralegal careers from the Institute of Paralegals.
Explore other careers or use our AI to discover personalised paths based on your interests.
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