Legal Secretary
Salary, job outlook, education and requirements
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.
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
O*NET-SOC 43-6012.00 (Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants)
Legal Secretary salary
Wages for legal secretaries and administrative assistants across all employers, 2025 data. The 10th percentile is typical entry-level pay; the 90th percentile reflects the most experienced and highest-paid workers.
National median hourly wage: $26.72.
Legal Secretary pay by state
Ten largest states by population, annual wages.
| State | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $40,710 | $62,860 | $106,580 |
| Texas | $39,480 | $45,940 | $82,680 |
| Florida | $34,420 | $48,510 | $81,340 |
| New York | $42,340 | $72,230 | $107,780 |
| Pennsylvania | $35,900 | $51,430 | $77,420 |
| Illinois | $41,600 | $52,790 | $99,470 |
| Ohio | $34,270 | $51,080 | $76,410 |
| Georgia | $35,650 | $48,460 | $72,030 |
| North Carolina | $31,190 | $43,720 | $71,640 |
| Michigan | $36,860 | $56,870 | $78,510 |
Legal Secretary job outlook
- Employment is projected to go from 157,600 jobs in 2025 to 149,300 in 2035 (-5% change).
- About 18,100 openings are projected each year, including jobs that open up as workers retire or change occupations.
- CareerOneStop outlook rating: Below Average.
How to become a legal secretary
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- No work experience
- On-the-job training
- 1 to 12 months on-the-job training
Education level of current workers
- Less than high school diploma1.7%
- High school diploma or equivalent23%
- Some college, no degree29.2%
- Associate's degree19.9%
- Bachelor's degree22.3%
- Master's degree3.3%
- Doctoral or professional degree.6%
Related training programs
- Legal Administrative Assistant/Secretary
What does a legal secretary do?
Common tasks
- Organize and maintain law libraries, documents, and case files.
- Prepare and distribute invoices to bill clients or pay account expenses.
- Mail, fax, or arrange for delivery of legal correspondence to clients, witnesses, and court officials.
- 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.
- Schedule and make appointments.
- Submit articles and information from searches to attorneys for review and approval for use.
Most important skills
- Active Listening
- Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
- Reading Comprehension
- Reading work-related information.
- Writing
- Writing things for co-workers or customers.
- Speaking
- Talking to others.
- Time Management
- Managing your time and the time of other people.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Understanding people's reactions.
- Coordination
- Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
- Service Orientation
- Looking for ways to help people.
Legal Secretary certifications
8 of 14 certifications CareerOneStop maps to this occupation. Requirements vary by employer and state.
- Isograd/Tosa · Skill
- Isograd/Tosa · Skill
- Isograd/Tosa · Skill
- Isograd/Tosa · Skill
- Isograd/Tosa · Skill
- NOCTI · Core
- Isograd/Tosa · Skill
- Isograd/Tosa · Skill
See all 14certifications in CareerOneStop's Certification Finder
Legal Secretary jobs
Current federal openings from USAJOBS. For more attorneys & legal jobs, including private-sector listings, see the Attorneys & Legal jobs hub.
Job data from USAJOBS.gov. Careers.org is not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM.
Related careers
- Paralegal
- Administrative Assistant
- Court, Municipal, and License Clerks
- Executive Assistant
- Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners
- Correspondence Clerks
- Office Clerks, General
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs
- Receptionists and Information Clerks
- Medical Records Specialists
More attorneys & legal careers
This page includes information from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA), and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
Source: CareerOneStop occupation profile for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants. Wages are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program; projections are national long-term projections.