Resume guide · Job Zone 3

Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistantsresume guide.

Perform secretarial duties using legal terminology, procedures, and documents. A strong Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants resume shows active listening, reading comprehension and writing, and names the tools you have worked with, such as Intuit QuickBooks, Microsoft Access and Adobe Acrobat.

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01Also called

O*NET
Confidential SecretaryLegal Administrative Assistant (Legal Admin Assistant)Legal Administrator (Legal Admin)Legal CoordinatorLegal Management AssistantLegal Office Support AssistantLegal Practice AssistantLegal SecretaryLitigation SecretaryMagistrate Assistant

02Skills employers expect

O*NET

Importance is how much the skill matters to the job; level is how much of it the job demands. Both are worth naming on the resume, in this order.

SkillImportanceLevel
Active ListeningVery highAdvanced
Reading ComprehensionVery highAdvanced
WritingHighIntermediate
SpeakingHighIntermediate
Time ManagementHighIntermediate
CoordinationHighIntermediate
Critical ThinkingHighIntermediate
MonitoringHighIntermediate
Service OrientationHighIntermediate
Social PerceptivenessHighIntermediate

03Knowledge areas

O*NET
  • Administrative
  • English Language
  • Law and Government
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Computers and Electronics
  • Administration and Management
  • Public Safety and Security
  • Communications and Media
  • Economics and Accounting
  • Education and Training

04Common responsibilities

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Ordered by importance. Each one is a bullet waiting for a result and a number.

  1. Organize and maintain law libraries, documents, and case files.
  2. Mail, fax, or arrange for delivery of legal correspondence to clients, witnesses, and court officials.
  3. Prepare and distribute invoices to bill clients or pay account expenses.
  4. Prepare, proofread, or process legal documents, such as summonses, subpoenas, complaints, appeals, motions, or pretrial agreements.
  5. Make photocopies of correspondence, documents, and other printed matter.
  6. Assist attorneys in collecting information such as employment, medical, and other records.
  7. Complete various forms, such as accident reports, trial and courtroom requests, and applications for clients.
  8. Receive and place telephone calls.
  9. Schedule and make appointments.
  10. Draft and type office memos.

05Software and tools

O*NET

42 tools across 20 categories. The six largest categories are below; Hot marks a hot technology, In demand a tool employers ask for most often.

Accounting software6
  • Intuit QuickBooksHotIn demand
  • Sage 50 Accounting
  • Quicken
  • Amortization calculation software
  • Chrome River Expense
  • Vertican Technologies Collection Master
+ 1 more
Data base user interface and query software5
Document management software4
  • Adobe AcrobatHotIn demand
  • Microsoft SharePoint Server
  • AbacusNext HotDocs
  • Filing system software
Information retrieval or search software4
  • Thomson Reuters WestlawIn demand
  • LexisNexis
  • Legal research software
  • Public access to electronic court records PACER
Word processing software4
  • Microsoft WordHotIn demand
  • Transcription software
  • WordPerfect
  • Electronic diary software
Electronic mail software3
Billing and invoicing software2
  • Billing software
  • Thomson Reuters Elite Billing Manager
Calendar and scheduling software2
  • Appointment scheduling software
  • Aderant CompuLaw
Analytical or scientific software1
  • Litigation management software
Cloud-based data access and sharing software1
  • Dropbox
Expert system software1
  • Legal software
Human resources software1
  • ADP Workforce NowIn demand
Internet browser software1
Medical software1
  • Case management software
Office suite software1
Presentation software1
Process mapping and design software1
Spreadsheet software1
Video conferencing software1
  • Web conferencing software
Web page creation and editing software1
  • Web page design and editing software

06Education and preparation

O*NET
Typical education
Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree
48% of surveyed workers. Others report High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (17%) and Post-Secondary Certificate (14%).
Preparation level
Job Zone 3 · Medium preparation
Usually vocational training, an associate degree or a few years of related experience.

07Putting it on your resume

ResumeXRays guidance
BEE · How to show it

Lead with the credential and the record. Job Zone 3 roles usually ask for training, a license or a few years of related experience. Put those on the first screen, then show what you did with them.

Name the tools exactly. This occupation is heavy on named software. A skills section that says "Intuit QuickBooks, Microsoft Access, Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Word" matches more job descriptions than a general phrase. Use the spelling employers use.

Show reading comprehension and writing, not just active listening. Reading comprehension and writing rank close to active listening for this occupation. One bullet per role that shows a decision, a tradeoff or a result covers them.

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