The Digital Age Opens More Doors For L.A.'s Legal Secretaries
California continues to lead the nation in the number of legal secretaries that are gainfully employed. Many of the 30,530 assistants work in legal services, where their chief tasks include gathering pertinent information for active cases, while helping attorneys prepare and file court-worthy documents. In Los Angeles, top administrative aides earn more than $60,000 annually, according to current data.
"California is one of the most litigious states in the U.S., and thus job positions in the Los Angeles legal field continue to be in demand," said Deborah Deutsch, a law instructor at UCLA Extension and author of the institution's online Legal Secretary Training Program (LSTP). "Working with lawyers, judges, clients and other interesting and dynamic professionals makes the legal secretary position tremendously rewarding."
The 30-year veteran of legal studies said the influx of technological advancements has had a penetrating impact on the vocation in recent years.
"The legal secretary today is expected to use a wide spectrum of software and access multitudes of digital information," Deutsch said.
How will this profession change by 2022?
"I expect the role of an effective legal secretary to expand in the scope and breadth of responsibilities in the law office, with continued emphasis on the ability to work skillfully in the digital age."
How is LSTP preparing legal secretaries for L.A.'s workforce?
"Our program is specially focused on the knowledge and skills designed for work as a high-level legal secretary, with a skill set emphasizing general legal principles, the litigation process and particular areas of specialization, like personal injury, real estate, bankruptcy and family law."
What is the best way to prepare for a lasting career?
"Law is inherently dynamic, and the need to stay on top of advancements and changes is all-important for a sustainable career as a legal secretary."
What is your message to aspiring legal secretaries?
"I advise them to undertake a quality training program. They must avail themselves of the many free online tutorials to maximize their word processing and other software skills. Their initiative and training will demonstrate much to their future employer."
Sharon Raiford Bush is an award-winning journalist who covers topics of social interest in greater Los Angeles. Some news articles she has authored have been archived by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. Sharon also contributes to Examiner.com.
