Need advice from anyone working in a solicitor's (lawyers, legal secretary's anyone)

[unaccomplishedfattylegalmummy]

I am about to start a legal secretary course next week which lasts for 1 year. When I went for the interview at the college all the other potential students were school leavers (half my age ). I'm 30 now and would be 31 when qualified.

My question is would you employ a 31 year old qualified legal secretary with no experience, or would you much prefer the young nubile candidate?

I want to know if I am wasting my time doing this course and whether I should look at something else all together. I have no legal experience, although I do have admin experience but I haven't worked in 7 years as have been a SAHM.

TIA

[Anchovy]

I think lawyers are fundamentally deeply conservative (I am one) and would positively prefer a more mature secretary!

Seriously, I don't think this is an issue at all. My new PA, who is fabbo, is about 38 and has only been a legal PA for about 5 years - did loads of travelling/bits and pieces/nothing related to legal work before that.

[unaccomplishedfattylegalmummy]

Oooh thanks thats reassuring.

[LittlePushka]

Am lawyer too, but definitely not deeply conservative. In my practice I would prefer mature women as they are harder working, more loyal and much more likley to stay with you. Also have more in common with them! My clubbing days are long gone!

[Seabright]

I wouldn't have a problem hiring a secretary because of their age, it's the lack of experience anyone has that always puts me off.

I'd suggest that anyone wanting to be a legal secretary try and get some work experience in local firms, because training someone new is always very hard

[Overtiredmum]

I'm a legal secretary but have no formal qualifications. Usually you can get a job as a legal secretary as long as you have experience working in a professional environment. I was a PA for a Chartered Surveyor before I became a legal secretary and haven't looked back since. I now work evenings (5-11) since having DS (now 3), it suits my circumstances.

[SuiGeneris]

I too am a lawyer and would positively prefer an older secretary.Your age is an advantage: you will be more mature, responsible and more able to relate to your employers.

[RibenaBerry]

I too think that age can be an advantage. 19 year olds who have just left school are often treated with a bit of suspicion as potentially being a bit unreliable (all v wrong and against age discrimination laws, of course). Plus, at 31 you will be likely to be closer to the age of those you work with. A lot of assistants and associates in law firms are around that age. They don't consider it past it!

[mummypoppins]

I HAVE 4 SECRETARIES WHO ARE 63 , 60 , 41 AND 23.

OOPS CAPS ON !

thats better

MP