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Original poster

Anyone here a legal secretary ? What's the profession like ?

83 replies

bringmeashrubbery · 31/01/2007 11:28

Just wondered if anyone has legal secretary experience. How did you get into it ? Is i t worth taking a qualification ? What's the pay like ? Is it a good profession ?

So many questions !

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 02/02/2007 09:11

You're really funny, Xenia.

Are you really so conceited you think everyone who's not on the same 'level' as you is jealous?

I could go there, but I won't because it would be rude.

Get a clue!

I am no longer a legal secretary, FWIW, and whilst I did work for some tyrants, that happens in every field.

Bottom line is, shubbery, don't go into ANY profession just for the money.

ItsMeMellowma · 02/02/2007 09:18

tbh I am now almost positive she only says certain things for affect, bit sad really!

expatinscotland · 02/02/2007 09:42

Yes, SAHMs are glorified prostitutes and legal secretaries are all wannabes.

Dinosaur · 02/02/2007 09:46

bringmeashubbery, I would say that the big City law firms can be very good places for legal secretaries to work.

The money is reasonably good, the working conditions are pretty good, and there are some opportunities for further promotion.

And honestly, I would say that there are far fewer "up their own arsehole" types around than there were when I first came into the legal profession in 1989. The old-school bully-boy male partner is really dying out now, thanks be.

My firm does a secretarial training programme. I am not too sure what it involves but if you want to CAT me, I could give you the details of our HR department and they could give you all the low-down.

HTH

Dinosaur · 02/02/2007 09:47

And I don't at all think that legal secretaries are all wannabes.

expatinscotland · 02/02/2007 09:50

Shrub
Getting trained through a company would be a GREAT way to save some serious £££!

Original poster
bringmeashrubbery · 02/02/2007 10:04

Dinosaur

Thanks for your helpful advice - I will CAT you shortly about the training - it will be interesting to see what's on offer.

OP posts:
Original poster
bringmeashrubbery · 02/02/2007 10:07

Ahh shite - forgot you have to pay for CAT...so short of cash atm that I can't afford to sign up ! Not to worry - thanks anyway...it's all been useful.

cheers

OP posts:
Dinosaur · 02/02/2007 10:09

Oh I'm sorry, I would put my email addy on here but it is my real name so it's not very anonymous.

Look, I work for Herbert Smith - main switchboard is 020 7274 8000 and there is a website too - www.herbertsmith.com - just contact Human Resources and ask to speak to someone who deals with secretarial recruitment and administration and they should be able to give you all the details.

Original poster
bringmeashrubbery · 02/02/2007 10:13

D - that's very sweet of you - I wouldn't expect you to give personal details - I don't want to publish my email address either !

I'll check out the web site

Thanks so much again

OP posts:
MamaGrr · 02/02/2007 10:15

I worked as a legal sec for years and really enjoyed, I'm a para-legal now and don't think I'd every work in any other area than law.

Yes, you do get some idiots - both lawyers AND secretaries, but surely its the same in any job?

I found conveyancing boring, very boring but really enjoyed doing PI (did it for years), now do family work which is fascinating.

Yes, there is a lot of pressure, its the nature of hte job, but I think a legal sec is better paid than secretaries in other areas.

Judy1234 · 02/02/2007 10:44

I just thought if you're going to train and are doing it for money and going to commute anyway and have long hours then might as well be the lawyer not the secretary, that's all. Just trying to understand the mind set which would say prefer to be secretary not lawyer. Surely the lawyer bit is more interesting? You can do the exams part time from home. I know a lot of legal secretary who become lawyers. I was on holiday with one last week.

jampot · 02/02/2007 11:01

Ive been a legal secretary for 20 odd years. For the most part it was enjoyable and have worked at both small and large firms. Please dont think that because you've done secretarial that you can automatically drop into legal easily though. A lot is expected from a legal secretary IME. Ive worked for excellent lawyers and crap ones alike. Im still in touch one lawyer I last worked for 14 years ago. The key as with any job is to have a good relationship with the person you work directly for, just because he/she is a lawyer doesnt mean they are better than you (although some obviously do think this ). Most of them really value their secretary and in fact all of the ones Ive worked for have commented that they would be lost without me - in fact the above mentioned lawyer commented in this years xmas letter that she still really misses my organisational abilities

Now moving onto Xenia - why on earth would you want to do all that training and go to all that expense to qualify as a lawyer when you can simply hook up with the senior partner and be a kept woman?

Judy1234 · 02/02/2007 11:11

Because that's demeaning and morally disgusting and an insult to women and clever human beings with important working roles to play on this planet.

jampot · 02/02/2007 11:16

surely there's lots of kept women? I for one havent worked for 2 years - that does not make me disgusting ... does it?

jampot · 02/02/2007 11:19

actually Xenia I only said that original comment to wind you up a bit - sorry was very childish to say things for effect

decafskinnylatte · 02/02/2007 11:25

I am a lawyer. The firm that I work for treats its secretaries very well. They are paid well and they benefit from having set hours and from being able to leave their job in the office when they go home. On the downside, it is difficult to work part time or flexibly but the hours are still markedly better than those for the lawyers. Whether the work is 'interesting' is a matter of pure opinion. From what I have seen, the more interested the secretary is, and the more desirous to be challenged, the better the work that she/he receives.

I have a huge amount of respect for the secretaries here; they are, in general, capable, interested and often better qualified (at a practical level) than many of our trainees and junior associates. It is, I believe, a good career in its own right and should not be looked upon as a poor second best to becoming a lawyer. I know many more legal secretaries with a good work/life balance than I do lawyers.

MamaGrr · 02/02/2007 11:27

thats a great post decaf.

Judy1234 · 02/02/2007 11:31

..no I'm obviously just jealous that the result of me never being kept bvy a man or living off his money is I have to give one virtually all our money on the divorce and get left supporting 5 children. Clearly the better route is to sleep your way to money and never have much of a career and just have a fun teenager and early 20s without bothering with exams and promotions and work but making sure you look good enough to attract those men.

expatinscotland · 02/02/2007 11:39

Work smarter, not harder.

decafskinnylatte · 02/02/2007 11:42

expat & MamaG

Dinosaur · 02/02/2007 11:45

Xenia .

Be proud of your achievements. And you deserve a lot of credit for getting out of a relationship that sounds as if it had become pretty abusive in the end.

Judy1234 · 02/02/2007 12:32

expat, I do. £240 an hour not what legal secs get paid. That's smart I think... but probably only follows because I am smart. Or is it stupid to support yourself when plenty of rich law firm partners marry their secretaries and keep them in hair appointments and gym memberships whilst the children are at boarding school? May be it's stupid for anyone to work at all when they could draw benefits and go to the library and take country walks and cook healthy soups and meditation and think all day.

D, thanks. Anyway there must be something wrong with a man who doesn't want to see or support his children. That's not normal at all, even if your wife does earn more. And I keep making efforts. I just invited him to her graduation even though he doesn't deserve it as can't even manage a birthday card but of course no reply.

Dinosaur · 02/02/2007 12:33

I'm really sorry, that's so shitty for your dd. How horrible.

jampot · 02/02/2007 12:34

xenia - i completely missed the details of your divorce but do i take it that you lost out to your dh and he still doesnt pay towards the children?

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