How to hire legal secretaries and administrative assistants
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Assist attorneys in collecting information such as employment, medical, and other records. • Complete various forms, such as accident reports, trial and courtroom requests, and applications for clients. • Mail, fax, or arrange for delivery of legal correspondence to clients, witnesses, and court officials. • Make photocopies of correspondence, documents, and other printed matter. • Organize and maintain law libraries, documents, and case files. • Prepare and distribute invoices to bill clients or pay account expenses. • Prepare, proofread, or process legal documents, such as summonses, subpoenas, complaints, appeals, motions, or pretrial agreements. • Receive and place telephone calls. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: High school diploma or equivalent] • Strong active listening, reading comprehension, writing, speaking, critical thinking and monitoring skills • Working knowledge of administrative, English Language, law and government and customer and personal service • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $26.72 an hour ($55,570 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for legal secretaries and administrative assistants
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to assist attorneys in collecting information such as employment, medical, and other records. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to complete various forms, such as accident reports, trial and courtroom requests, and applications for clients. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to mail, fax, or arrange for delivery of legal correspondence to clients, witnesses, and court officials. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to make photocopies of correspondence, documents, and other printed matter. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
- Describe something important you wrote at work, such as a report, notes or an email. Who read it and what happened next?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What legal secretaries and administrative assistants do
- Assist attorneys in collecting information such as employment, medical, and other records.
- Complete various forms, such as accident reports, trial and courtroom requests, and applications for clients.
- Mail, fax, or arrange for delivery of legal correspondence to clients, witnesses, and court officials.
- Make photocopies of correspondence, documents, and other printed matter.
- Organize and maintain law libraries, documents, and case files.
- Prepare and distribute invoices to bill clients or pay account expenses.
- Prepare, proofread, or process legal documents, such as summonses, subpoenas, complaints, appeals, motions, or pretrial agreements.
- Receive and place telephone calls.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 2 to 4 years (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: -5.2% over ten years, declining · about 18,100 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay legal secretaries and administrative assistants
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $99,280 |
| New York | $72,230 |
| Connecticut | $66,220 |
| Delaware | $66,130 |
| Minnesota | $63,180 |
| Kentucky | $39,300 |
| Missouri | $38,560 |
| Kansas | $36,620 |
See legal secretaries and administrative assistants pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants
- Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.