Interview with a Legal Assistant - A Rewarding Day on the Job

For the next three Fridays we will be publishing an interview with a legal secretary from New York, Ellen Adams, to help give you an idea about what a legal assistant career is like. This vocation is expected to grow at a faster-than-expected rate, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, making it a reliable career choice for the future.

1. What is your job description? It used to be legal secretary. Now, they call us “assistants.” It’s merely semantics. The job is the same, and the salary, unlike the name, has remained the same. Instead of corporate executives, we assist attorneys, who are officers of the court, in the representation of their clients’ interests and challenges in running their businesses and ensuring that they avoid any pitfalls that could have a negative impact of their company’s bottom line. We make sure that all legal documents are prepared properly and that any and all legal documents that have to be filed are in compliance with applicable requirements of the law and rules of conducting of their day to day operations.
2. Describe a typical day on the job. First, let me say that I primarily work for a multi-tasking micro managing partner, an associate, a legal specialist and a project analyst. Gone are the days of one-on-one assignments. The mantra is “you work for the ‘firm,” and so you find that you are assigned to work with 2 to 4 people. Generally, I check in with my attorneys and then log on and check e-mail traffic to determine what documents and correspondence need to be printed for review by the attorneys, as well as any materials sent by clients for teleconference meetings. While documents are printing, the calendar is simultaneously being reviewed to confirm and/or revise any client appointments, conference calls, meetings, etc.Filing is a critical skill to have. Even though it is absolutely MY LEAST FAVORITE THING TO DO, knowing the firm’s filing program is crucial. You need to be able to find attorney notes, pleadings, contracts, correspondence at any given time, so making sure that things are filed properly is an integral part of any assistant’s job.The phones are usually ringing and any messages are written down AND sent by e-mail so that the attorneys can respond in a timely manner. Lunch is a gift – it is not uncommon to find yourself working through lunch or eating at your desk. I still use my Gregg shorthand (I’m a real “veteran”), and the partner with whom I work loves to dictate, so I’m usually in and out of his office taking letters, memos, e-mail messages, etc. Many tasks are handled by telephone. Meetings can happen on a moment’s notice and you use whatever software the firm purchases to book a conference room, travel arrangements, etc. Many of our clients are watching their respective budgets, which is why so much is done electronically or telephonically. Often you find that you are juggling mini and maxi crises, and you adjust accordingly. I sometimes refer to it as “playing ‘octopus’”. It definitely helps to keep your brain sharp.
3. What is the most rewarding part of being a legal secretary? Well, you are providing services to individuals and corporations and that, in and of itself, can be rewarding. You also learn a lot about WHY things happen the way they do and how the law works to people’s advantage or disadvantage if they are not prepared or the proper forms are not filed for conducting any business transaction(s). Attorneys provide a valuable service and help people avoid mistakes, defend their rights, and resolve disputes, whenever they arise. If they listen, it keeps thing running smoothly; if they choose not to, the attorneys help them resolve the challenges they face. A lot of things are preventative. You also get to see how contracts are created and why individuals and corporations obsess about various aspects of their business operations. You learn a great deal depending on the area of concentration that your attorneys choose to work in. There are so many different disciplines, it can be mind-boggling. But you are a part of an intricate process that is integral to the day to day operations of life in general and business in particular. It’s never dull.