Legal administrations provide vital support to the work of attorneys, performing a wide range of duties that means no two days are the same. Jennie Fenendael, a legal secretary for a district attorney, said the ability to organize and prioritize work is therefore crucial for anyone considering a career in the field, the Green Bay Gazette reports. Other key qualities include confidentiality and having the "big shoulders" to deal with callers who are sometimes frustrated or angry. Day-to-day activities for a legal administrator can include setting up new hard copy and computer files for criminal complaints, passing this information to district attorneys in order for them to determine if charges should be laid, drafting and filing complaints with the clerk of courts, and organizing court dates. Legal secretaries also mail information to defendants, draft subpoenas and warrants, and file transportation orders for the movement of prisoners. A paper trail must be kept for every case and it is down to administrators to ensure records are up-to-date and filed correctly. "Everyday is different and that's the best part of the job," Ms Fenendael said. In 2006, there were around 275,000 legal secretaries in the US. Many of those in the field advance to become paralegals.  |