job description of a litigation secretary

what is a litigation secretary

The definition of a litigation secretary is nothing more than a secretary who has worked in a law firm for at least 3 years and who is capable of typing legal documents (pleadings, forms, etc.) inserting relevant information without assistance.

Actually, litigation has to do with matters that might possibly end up in court. Corporate/transactional legal secretaries type legal documents but do not deal with litigation. Same goes for secretaries who are working in Estate Planning and Probate.

I AM NOT IN PLYMOUTH NEW YORK AND YET I CANNOT EDIT THIS OUT, SO WHAT GIVES, INDEED.COM????

I have worked in law firms for many years and am satisifed with being a secretary, NOT A PARALEGAL. However, when firms decide they want a secretary to do more than they were hired for, they consider the person not to be a competent secretary. Some attorneys want they secretary to magically be able to do the work of a paralegal, just because they want it.

i dont understand why you say that if the firm wants the legal secretary to do more than they were hired for that they consider the person not to be a competent secretary..?
It seems to me that if they are asking the secretary do more than they are hired for that they do think she is competent. Maybe I missed something somewhere?

QUOTE who="Legal Secretary in Raleigh, North Carolina"]I have worked in law firms for many years and am satisifed with being a secretary, NOT A PARALEGAL. However, when firms decide they want a secretary to do more than they were hired for, they consider the person not to be a competent secretary. Some attorneys want they secretary to magically be able to do the work of a paralegal, just because they want it.

amanda in Los Angeles, California said: i dont understand why you say that if the firm wants the legal secretary to do more than they were hired for that they consider the person not to be a competent secretary..?
It seems to me that if they are asking the secretary do more than they are hired for that they do think she is competent. Maybe I missed something somewhere?

QUOTE who="Legal Secretary in Raleigh, North Carolina"]I have worked in law firms for many years and am satisifed with being a secretary, NOT A PARALEGAL. However, when firms decide they want a secretary to do more than they were hired for, they consider the person not to be a competent secretary. Some attorneys want they secretary to magically be able to do the work of a paralegal, just because they want it.

They do not necessarily consider the person competent to do more. They merely want to get more for their buck. They assume that since a person has been a legal secretary for many years, she magically learned how to be a paralegal out of the goodness of her heart.

I imagine that some secretaries who work for one person or company for a long time, may have had her supervisors invest in her ability or desire to learn more. But, companies seldom have anything to offer to make a long-term employment commitment worthwhile. How many companies still offer retirement? Fortune 500 companies are hardly going out of their way to hire. A majority of firms and companies stick a computer under each person's nose and REAL secretaries become extinct.

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: Isabel in Raleigh, North Carolina: "They assume that since a person has been a legal secretary for many years, she magically learned how to be a paralegal out of the goodness of her heart."

Or is force-fed or the learning came through osmosis.

Absolutely! Thank you!

I've been a legal secretary for 20 years and never have I've been asked to do research as a paralegal does. These two positions are separate from each other requiring different skills and are very different on the pay scale especially in New York City. If a law firm is asking their legal secretary to perform as a paralegal, in my opinion ~ they are nothing but cheap firm that doesn't want to spend the money on hiring a paralegal. A legal secretary is busy enough and doesn't need the the responsibility of being also a paralegal. (Get a new job)..

kate in Elmont, New York said: I've been a legal secretary for 20 years and never have I've been asked to do research as a paralegal does. These two positions are separate from each other requiring different skills and are very different on the pay scale especially in New York City. If a law firm is asking their legal secretary to perform as a paralegal, in my opinion ~ they are nothing but cheap firm that doesn't want to spend the money on hiring a paralegal. A legal secretary is busy enough and doesn't need the the responsibility of being also a paralegal. (Get a new job)..

Well Kate, I'm a Research Admin at my firm, and dangit if I don't do about everything there EXCEPT get a big pay check... I am busy enough just summarizing depos and other transcrpts without having to also draft/revise pleadings, much less take them to court and file them, much LESS be the IT guy for the firm! And hell, I even do ALOT of accounting too, as the atty I work under practices in Tax and finances...