Legal Secretary
What does a legal secretary do?
Knowing the answer to 'What does a legal secretary do?' can help you understand why they're crucial to the company's legal team. Legal secretaries are administrative assistants who support lawyers, solicitors and barristers by carrying out essential administrative tasks within the firm. The exact nature of their work depends on what type of law they work in within the organisation. For instance, working as a legal assistant in a conveyancing practice differs greatly from working as a legal assistant in a criminal law practice.Some of the typical responsibilities of a legal secretary include:
Producing legal documents
Providing secretarial support to lawyers
Answering telephone calls, transferring calls and taking messages
Keeping accurate records of meetings and appointments
Organising travel arrangements for lawyers
Arranging meetings and managing lawyers' diaries
Attending court and meeting clients
Closing, archiving and storing files
Assisting in the preparation of court documents
As a legal secretary, your role is primarily to support the lawyers working in the firm by carrying out administrative tasks. Experienced legal secretaries have good knowledge of the law and in particular legal procedures, but legal secretaries can't give legal advice. If you're looking for a role within a law firm that combines administrative duties with more technical legal work, you can consider becoming a paralegal.
Southampton (/saʊθˈ(h)æmptən/ ⓘ) is a port city in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately 80 miles (130 km) south-west of London, 20 miles (32 km) west of Portsmouth, and 20 miles (32 km) south-east of Salisbury.[6][7] Southampton had a population of 253,651 at the 2011 census, making it one of the most populous cities in southern England.[2] Southampton forms part of the larger South Hampshire conurbation which includes the city of Portsmouth and the boroughs of Havant, Eastleigh, Fareham, and Gosport. A major port,[8] and close to the New Forest, Southampton lies at the northernmost point of Southampton Water, at the confluence of the River Test and Itchen,[9] with the River Hamble joining to the south. Southampton is classified as a Medium-Port City.[10]
Southampton was the departure point for the RMS Titanic[11] and home to 500 of the people who perished on board.[12] The Spitfire was built in the city[13] and Southampton has a strong association with the Mayflower, being the departure point before the vessel was forced to return to Plymouth. In the past century, the city was one of Europe's main ports for ocean liners. More recently, Southampton is known as the home port of some of the largest cruise ships in the world.[14] The Cunard Line maintains a regular transatlantic service to New York from the city. Southampton is also one of the largest retail destinations in the South of England.[15]
Southampton was heavily bombed during the Second World War during what was known as the Southampton Blitz. It was one of the major embarkation points for D-Day. In the Middle Ages Southampton was where troops left England for the Battle of Agincourt. It was itself raided by French pirates, leading to the construction of the fortified town walls, many of which still stand today. Jane Austen also lived in Southampton for a number of years. In 1964, the town of Southampton acquired city status, becoming the City of Southampton.[16]
Some notable employers in the city include the University of Southampton, Ordnance Survey, BBC South, Associated British Ports, and Carnival UK.[17]