whats the diff btwn paralegal and legal secretary? (job openings, degree, jobs)

[luvmykids08_10]

can anyone explain this to me? Im currently going to school for legal secretary i only have a semester left towards my associates degree. And i dont want to feel like i wasted money on a degree i will never use because i could of just done legal secretary work and worked my way up the latter from there...

[annaegel]

My understanding of the two: Legal secretary is a secretary with knowledge of law verbage, like a medical secretary would be a secretary, but have knowledge of medical terminology, medical tests, diseases, insurance, etc. Paralegal is someone who will do background work for the lawyer. Will do a lot of the research in books/internet, research previous court decisions, etc., so that the lawyer can represent the case best he/she can without spending necessary hours.

[chiroptera]

Originally Posted by luvmykids08_10

can anyone explain this to me? Im currently going to school for legal secretary i only have a semester left towards my associates degree. And i dont want to feel like i wasted money on a degree i will never use because i could of just done legal secretary work and worked my way up the latter from there...

I find it astonishing that you are a year or two into studies and a semester from graduating for a legal secretary degree and you do not understand the difference between the two.

[kodaka]

A legal secretary's job will be more geared toward administrative work. Job duties entail your basic secretarial duties, but also filing court papers and documents. A paralegal is a researcher whose job it is to research laws and case history to assist the lawyer in preparing a case.

And yeah, it's astonishing that you're half way through and have no idea what you are even studying for.

[Mrs. Skeffington]

In this area, a legal secretary makes $7.50 an hour, a paralegal makes $8.25 an hour. Same duties, just a paralegal degree gets you 75 cents more an hour...

[itsasmallworld]

Originally Posted by luvmykids08_10

can anyone explain this to me? Im currently going to school for legal secretary i only have a semester left towards my associates degree. And i dont want to feel like i wasted money on a degree i will never use because i could of just done legal secretary work and worked my way up the latter from there...

Legal secretary and paralegal are 2 different jobs. If you work in a law firm, the lines will be clearly drawn. If you do in-house legal, you might have a different title and have combined responsibilities. Legal secretary, contrary to popular belief, is not a path to being a paralegal. It is not uncommon for a legal secretary to make more. It depends on the size, type, and structure of the firm, as well as the job description. I suggest checking Craig's List and some local job agencies for job descriptions and figure out which type of work you prefer.

[TobinJ]

I agree with what the other posts are stating...a paralegal is actually doing legal work and research where as a legal secretary is filing that legal paperwork or sending it on it's way. Often times a legal secretary will do some of the easier legal work for a paralegal...this helps understand the structure. If you can get a position as an entry level legal admin you can definitely move up to a paralegal position as a "certificate" is not a necessity...even with one you may find it difficult to get hired as a paralegal without experience in a legal setting.

[DenverLawGal]

Thought I'd put in my 2 cents as I am a paralegal.

I often do admin but also do more advanced work, drafting, client contact, attend hearings. I was a legal secretary who was promoted. I had to have a 4 yr. degree and/or a paralegal certificate. I had both so was good with that.

Also, for me, I got a good raise. But I think if I entered the firm as a para, it'd be less than the legal secretary.

The lines are blurred, but one thing definitely stands out to me. As a secretary, you really don't have a ton of freedom. Your hours are set and you get a standard raise. As a paralegal, you bill for your time, and have TONS of freedom to meet your annual billable requirement. Billing a lot and making clients happy equals good raises AND bonuses. That's my world anyhow.

[Thursday007]

My mom was a legal secretary and did a sectretaries job no different than being in any other field or company as far as her duties. Paralegals do ALL the legal work for a case, but cannot try it in court.

So to sum it up:

Legal Secretary = Secretary

Paralegals = Assistants

[Thursday007]

Here. I came across this site whiich may be very helpful for you. It covers the differences and the job market.

Legal secretary vs paralegal? Which has more job openings? Which is a better career?


Paralegal Jobs Forum - Legal secretary vs paralegal? Which has more job openings? Which is a better career? | Indeed.com