Legal Secretary Job Description

After obtaining legal secretary degrees or certificates, which can be completed in two years or less in most cases, professionals of all ages can begin seeking work in the legal field. Legal secretaries assist attorneys with a variety of duties related to legal documents, legal research and organizing law libraries. It is often necessary to get an associate’s degree to be truly prepared for this job, because legal secretaries have to be well-versed in legal terminology and able to combine their legal knowledge with office duties seamlessly.

Although the legal secretary job duties vary among the different legal secretary careers, it is safe to say that anyone working in this type of position will be responsible for handling a diverse set of administrative responsibilities. Legal secretaries must be able to quickly type up various legal documents, memos and letters, for starters. They must also be able to efficiently and accurately maintain legal files, consult legal journals, assist with legal research, take notes, field phone calls, schedule appointments, participate in legal meetings and organize legal libraries. There are other duties that may come up in the course of the day as well, depending on the specific office or firm in question.

Not all legal secretaries have legal secretary degrees; some choose to complete short-term programs that lead to a career certificate. A degree program, however, will provide better preparation for careers in law firms, insurance companies, government organizations and/or legal departments within large companies. Classes in business math, business English, legal terminology, legal transcription, keyboarding and office management are typically part of these two-year associate’s degree programs.

Institutions offering quality Criminal Justice Programs include Rasmussen College, ITT Technical Institute, American InterContinental University, Westwood College and Kaplan University.

Find the perfect Criminal Justice School or Paralegal and Legal Assistant Program today and start your path to a rewarding career.

There are literally hundreds of thrilling positions in the law enforcement field that you can go into after achieving a criminal justice degree. The following are the top 10 criminal justice careers based on average salary:

1. Detective – $89,354
2. Criminal Investigator – $86,012
3. FBI Agent – $79,648
4. Police Officer – $74,464
5. Secret Service Agent – $68,288
6. Police Detective – $64,518
7. Private Investigator – $62,400
8. Substance Abuse Counselor – $59,850
9. Insurance and Fraud Investigator – $56,449
10. Legal Secretary – $54,000

Some of these criminal justice careers are more difficult to get into than others, and the salaries may also vary based on which part of the country you reside in. A career as a police detective, for example, will probably require quite a bit of time on the job and a great deal of experience to get into and begin achieving a high salary. It won’t happen the day you graduate from criminal justice school. FBI agents and secret service agents also often come from backgrounds in the military or very advanced government jobs.

There are many other high paying criminal justice careers in the police force, the court systems and for private companies. These jobs listed above, however, are the top 10 criminal justice degrees in terms of average salaries. While it’s clear that these jobs may require advanced college degrees, others may require certain levels of experience and number of promotions. There are countless jobs in this field that are highly in demand and will continue to be so as long as we require a criminal justice system to keep our society safe and sound.

Criminal justice degree programs tend to be set up in either one of two ways. Some programs are more academic and focus on the many theories that explore the social dimensions of crime. Others are set up to prepare individuals for specific vocations. And with a criminal justice bachelor’s degree, there will also be general education and elective courses required. The criminal justice degree at Villanova University, for example, focuses on the perspective of criminology, with required courses including Introduction to Criminal Justice, Criminology, Police and Society, Criminal Courts, Penology and Corrections and Criminological Theory.

The requirements to get a criminal justice degree like the one from Villanova will also require a course centered on statistics, but these aren’t just any stats classes that you’d normally take in college. Course options include Criminal Justice Research and Statistics, Data Analysis for Social Scientists and Applied Research Methods. Students must also choose from electives such as The Supreme Court, Capital Punishment, White Collar Crime, Victimology, Drugs and Society, Sociology of Deviance, Juvenile Delinquency, Sociology of Law and Race and Ethnic Relations.

Other schools such as the University of Southern Illinois have a very different approach with their criminal justice degrees, which use a much more pragmatic methodology. The required courses for this program include Introduction to Criminal Justice Administration, Policing in America, Analysis in Criminal Justice, Prosecution and Adjudication, Introduction to Private Security, Introduction to Corrections and Victims of Crime. These courses are designed for students who plan on entering vocations in the criminal justice field as soon as they graduate. Both of these programs, however, will require some standard criminal justice courses as well as general education courses.

Perhaps just the thought of how to get into a criminal justice school for a four-year degree program is too much for you and you are interested in starting a high-paying career in this field as quickly as possible. In this case, a career training and certification program might be a good fit for you. There is plenty of grant money currently available for homeland security training programs because of the 2007 Preparedness Directorate, for example, but many of these programs require experience in the field.

Two year programs at community colleges and vocational schools are another option you may want to consider if you are daunted by the prospects of a four-year program. There are different requirements for how to get into criminal justice school depending on which type of institution you are applying to, but you will normally need a high school diploma or GED to enroll. These associate degree programs are good if you want to start a career as a security guard, forensic technician or paralegal.

If you have considered your options and have decided a full four-year degree is right for you, you will need to learn how to get into criminal justice school at a major university. Getting into a college criminal justice program requires getting into the school itself. Certain colleges are more competitive than others, so you should apply to several schools including some that are less competitive and some that are very hard to get into. It is important to take the application process seriously. Impress the schools with a good high school or community college GPA, high SAT or ACT scores, a well written admission essay, appropriate letters of recommendation and experiences that demonstrate leadership ability, community mindedness and responsibility.

There are several ways to prepare to take the exams for criminal justice school. It is important to take detailed notes in all your classes, and create study guides so you can breeze through the required information with a focus on the topics which you are most likely to be tested on. There are also publishers such as Arco that have created books specifically for mastering the exams for court officers, corrections officers and police officers, and other law enforcement exams.

Various schools might have criminal justice school entrance exams, as well. PhD programs also typically require comprehensive exams for all their students before they can complete the program. Other related fields such as paralegals also require specific examinations to become certified in this field. Whatever criminal justice school tests and exams you are required to take, there are resources available to ensure that you make it to test day prepared for success.

In order to ace any exams for criminal justice school, it’s a good idea to do some police and court activity observations before attending your criminal justice course. Then contact the head judge of your court or the court clerk to see find if you could attend criminal court proceedings, and get your criminal justice books before the course and read them cover to cover. Also find out if the teacher is going to have role-playing scenarios so you can be prepared, and before test day make sure to review the chapters covered and brush up on the subjects you’re less familiar with. And last but not least, make sure to get a good night’s sleep.

The Canadian federal and the local government provides active funding and support to the local criminal justice schools .This keep the quality and standard of the education in check and as such Canada provides an ideal environment for earning a degree in criminal justice in one of its schools. Today there is a huge number of criminal schools offering attractive criminal justice and crime prevention courses in Canada. Canadian criminal justice schools ensure that their students become sound criminal judges and manage law enforcement.

There are various courses which provide various qualifying degrees in criminal justice like an associates degree, bachelors degree, masters degree or a simple certificate course. However, note that education rule and regulation is strict in Canada and its compulsory till 16 years of age. If you are keen in pursuing a prestigious criminal justice career, then you can enroll in any one of these renowned Canadian criminal justice schools:

CDI College at Surrey in British Columbia:

This college offers various courses in law enforcement and provides you the required knowledge and training to get hired and succeed in the real world. With a legal administration diploma, there are endless career opportunities for students to get real world hands on job training to build a better career.

Everest College:

The school offers legal courses that are recognized by both law firms as well as government agencies. It also has instructors with real-world experience. Many of the employers hire graduates from this school. They recruit qualified professionals with industry-specific expertise who give practical insights to the students.

Trios College:

This College in Canada has branches all over Ontario province and provides courses related to police law and security officers. The college also offers financial assistance to the economically poor students and to those who are less capable.

Adding to this, there are many different criminal justice schools in Quebec, Manitoba, Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta which provide accredited programs in legal administration and paralegal courses. The various aspects of admission like fee structure, courses and educational policies are continuously updated and changed, so keeping a tab on these can help you to a great extent.

The students who have graduated from any of the esteemed criminal justice schools in Canada secure good placements in criminal firms and agencies. For instance, various past records from Everest College show those students with a degree in paralegal programs were easily absorbed into different private law firms, banks and the prestigious Canadian Department of Justice.

If you are interested in crime investigation, legal assisting or policing, the Canadian criminal justice schools can provide the ultimate solutions to your dreams. The courses on criminal law and justice in these schools shape amateurs into responsible and seasoned criminal justice professionals.

If we talk in terms of progress then the criminal justice sector has made gained tremendous success in the last few years. Since 9/11, it has speedily advanced to emerge as one of the greatest rising career sectors. Moreover, the current state of affairs in the US has even raised new issues pertaining to law enforcement, immigration, public safety, and security. As a result, the requirement for individuals trained in criminal justice has also increased. Thus, in order to meet the high demand of individuals trained in law enforcement, many colleges and universities of United States have introduced degrees and criminal justice training programs to their curriculums.

Today, there are comprehensive list of criminal justice schools in the United States that offer different kind of programs in campus or online. Many online criminal justice colleges that have online programs are specifically designed keeping in mind the various needs of the working professionals. Besides this, these days, there are different levels of degrees available in criminal justice like bachelor, master and diploma. So if you are looking forward to enrolling into any criminal justice school then there are some of the most important requisites and selection criteria that you must be acquainted with.

In order to get an admission into criminal justice school for two year program, you must require a GED or high school diploma. However, in case if you are planning of getting into a criminal justice school for a four year program then you need to give a serious importance to a high school or community college GPA score. Though, at times there are some schools who might even ask you appear or take the SAT or ACT examination. Adding to this, you may also need writing an admission essay. These days, admission essay also plays a major role in selecting a student. Therefore, you may even require submitting your admission essay describing your interest in criminal justice before getting into a criminal justice school.

Moreover, the statement of purpose is another vital element that can also help you get into a good school. Though, you need to keep in mind that your statement of purpose must be focused in describing and mentioning what you wish to study as a graduate criminal justice major. This statement of purpose is very important, because every admission committee of criminal justice school reviews each candidates statement of purpose. Finally ensure that you give a proper attention to your letters of recommendation and the personal statement.

Today there are many careers in the criminal justice field, but if you are a professional holding a criminal justice degree then you can really expect the continued growth for the foreseeable future. Making a career in criminal justice sector has its own rewards, but it also features many challenges that can be easily conquered by having a good education and training from the best accredited criminal justice school.

Diploma in Crime Scene Investigation: A diploma program in criminal investigation is one of the most diploma programs in criminal justice. It is one of its own kinds of program that trains students for being more competent in careers in law enforcement and other different forms of investigations. The curriculum in this discipline primarily includes studies in criminal justice, basics of ethics and psychology, defense strategies, and computer forensics. The key advantage of this program is that being a graduate in this stream, you can easily enter a different range of positions in law enforcement. The career prospects, once you complete the program are very good, due to rising demand for skilled criminal investigators.

Diploma in Court Reporting: Court reporters are professionals whose prime responsibilities revolve around recording the entire procedure that occurs in the courtroom and further provide proof for all decisions reached by the panel of judges. In fact, if you work as a court reporter then you would be responsible for all documentation handled during the trial. Now the campus based diploma program is ideally meant for individuals like you to train and upgrade your skills that are vital to work in law firms and government agencies. Generally, diploma programs in court reporting take one year to finish. However, at times this depends on the selection of school. Adding to this, having earned a diploma in court reporting you can easily earn between $30,000 and $50,000 annually. Though, this can vary depending on the nature of work, whether you are working as a freelance or salaried position.

Diploma in Legal Secretary: This diploma campus based program of legal secretary is not a pre-law course. In fact, it is a learning of law and its applications to day to day life. The key feature that makes this program unique is it helps students understand laws and policies that generally influence businesses or people. Apart from this, the coursework within this field primarily includes studies in the basics of the legal system, law, law writing, business ethics and liability, and its politics. A legal secretary diploma program can help you understand the process required to perform secretarial duties for a law firm.

Diploma in Paralegal or Legal Assistant: The primary task of a legal assistant is to investigate the facts of a given case. Working as a legal or paralegal assistant, you may be required to perform research and recognize suitable laws, legal articles, and other materials that your employing lawyer or law team might find helpful. Now in a diploma program of paralegal or legal assistant, you get the chance to learn the basic skills required in the profession. The program trains and makes you proficient in interviewing, and gain an understanding of the role of the legal assistant. Also, the program even trains you regarding the procedures that you generally require to apply to court applications, making bills, and small claims procedures.

In present scenario, around two million people are working in different fields of criminal justice after completing their diploma programs. If you are too looking forward to making a career in this industry then above mentioned programs are some of the most important diploma campus based programs that you can opt.

Though, at times education requirements for becoming a police officer vary from state to state, but overall almost every state has similar basic key factors and trainings. Thus, to be a police officer it is very important to understand all facets of the profession, which can be better understood by having a proper training. So in case if you are looking to make a career as a police officer, here are some of the most important trainings that you may require to become a police officer:

Physical Fitness and Hands on Training: In this form of training, you may require to run for at least four times a week and even perform weight resistance training. Now as the new week approaches, the running distance is increased until they’re doing 5 mile runs. Adding to this, you may also require spending ample time every week learning self defense and various techniques of fighting. Your training may involve running through obstacle courses and even gain knowledge of arresting procedures and apply it to each other. Besides this, you may also go through swimming related training, where you get the chance to learn the proper way to save people in the water.

Firearm Training: In firearm training, you are provided with lessons regarding safety lessons on every weapon that police department majorly uses. Though, the type of weapons used vary from one state to other, but the 9 millimeter and shot gun are the most common firearms and it will be better if get trained on this weapons as soon as possible. In this form of training you are provided the opportunity to fire weapons on the range, then to get qualified with each of the weapons. Apart from this, the key feature that makes this training more interesting yet challenging is you may even require to go through a “mock up” of various stand-off situations. You are required to go through different mock ups that in turn help you in dealing with real or actual armed criminals.

Vehicle Operations Training: In this form of training, you are required to drive on a course that simulates most the conditions that may meet in most of the occasions while working in the field. As a student, you are provided training on defensive driving or driving while communicating along with your other police officers. This training is very important because, to become a police officer, you need to become good at driving under various risky conditions.

Apart from all this, at times you may also require to be a part of on-the-job training. Though, you may have successfully finished the academy training, but in on-the-job training, you will be required to perform duty on the field under a supervisor. Having training from an experienced supervisor will help you perfect your skills, such as filing the incident reports, discharge forms, testifying when in court, and factors that need to take care while performing searching or arresting procedures.

No doubt, the career of a police officer is rewarding, but it mostly involves different responsibilities and to play your responsibilities effectively a good training matters most.

If you want to specialize, you can pursue a criminal justice degree in following popular areas of concentration such as Court Reporting, Homeland Security and Legal Practice.

The Following is a list of criminal justice colleges that offer degrees programs in justice:

1) AIU (American Intercontinental University)-It is located in Weston, Florida. It offers Bachelor’s Degree in Justice. AIU also offers online courses.
2) Ashford University- it offers Bachelor’s Degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Management
3) Ashworth College- This university offers Master’s Degree programs.
4) Berkeley College Online- it offers various online Bachelor’s as well as Associate Degree programs.
5) Boston University Online- it offers online Master’s Degree Programs.
6) Brown Mackie College- it offers various Master’s and Associate Degree programs in Justice.
7) Capella University Online- it offers Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Public Safety – Criminal Justice and Bachelor’s Degree in Public Safety- Homeland Security.
8 ) Central Florida College- located in St Petersburg and Winter Park in Florida, it provides for Diploma and Associate Degrees in Justice.
9) Central Pennsylvania College Online- It offers Bachelor’s and Associate’s in Administration and Marketing.
10) City College-located in Casselberry, it offers Associate’s Degree in Private Investigation Services.
11) Colorado Technical University Online- if offers online Bachelor’s Degrees in Criminal Justice.
12) Eagle Gate College Online- it offers online Associate’s Degrees.
13) ECPI College of Technology Online- it offers online Associate’s Degrees in Justice Technology.
14) Everest Institute- located in Hialeah, Kendall and North Miami Beach, this institute offers Diploma in Criminal Justice and Criminal Investigations.
15) Everest University- it has locations in Brandon, Jacksonville, Lakeland, Melbourne, North Orlando, Orange Park, Pinellas, Pompano Beach, South Orlando, Tampa.
16) Florida National College Online- it provides Bachelor’s Degree Programs
17) Florida Tech University Online-it offers Bachelor’s Degree Programs
18) Florida Technical College
19) Grantham University
20) International Institute of the Americas Online
21) Iowa Central College Online
22) ITT Tech Online- it offers Associates and Bachelor’s Degree
23) ITT Technical Institute- it has locations in Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Lake Mary, Miami, Pinellas Park
24)Kaplan College- it offers Associate’s Degree in Justice and is located in Pembroke Pines.
25) Kaplan University Online- it offers Bachelor’s Degree in Fraud Examination and Certifications for Criminals Justice and Crime Scene Technicians.
26) Keiser University- it has locations: Daytona Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Lakeland, Melbourne, Miami (Kendall), Orlando, Pembroke Pines, Port St. Lucie, Sarasota, Tallahassee, Tampa, West Palm Beach offering Associate’s Degrees in Crime Scene Technology, Justice, Home Land Security.
27) Keiser University eCampus- It offers online programs for the above mentioned courses/
28) Lincoln College Online- it offers Bachelor’s and Associate’s Degrees in Justice and the Study of the Criminal Mind
29) Mercy College Online- it offers Bachelor’s Degree.
30) Minnesota School of Business Online offering Bachelor’s and Associate’s Degrees.
31) Online Learning through Everest College at Phoenix
32) Park University Online
With all these institutes located in different cities across Florida, you can easily find one institute of your choice.