A legal secretary performs administrative and clerical tasks for solicitors, barristers and legal executives. The main duties are typing various legal documents, scheduling meetings and organising the calendars and performing day to day administrative tasks. Most students choose to be legal secretaries before choosing law as a career path. This role gives them a fair idea of what being a lawyer entails. Others also take up the role of secretaries to gain valuable experience. Whichever way, the role is very important in the legal environment.
London Legal Secretary Salary
The average salary for a legal secretary in London is £23,000 per year. Starting salaries are around £20,000 per year and increase to £45,000 per year. The more experienced and knowledgeable you are, the more you are paid. Legal secretary salaries are higher in London (just like every other salary) because there is high demand for workers and since there is a higher investment in human resource hence the higher returns.
Outside London Legal Secretary Salary
The average salary outside London is £30,000, with Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds paying an average of £25,000. Bristol, Reading, York and Coventry pay an average of £23,000 while Exeter and Nottingham pay as low as £19,000 and £20,000 respectively.
Paralegal salaries (has similar duties as a legal assistant) start at a minimum of £17,000 with an average of £20,000 and a maximum of £26,000.
Factors Affecting Legal Secretary Salary
Legal executives who have gained Chartered Institute of Legal Executive (CILEX) can expect higher salaries than legal secretaries. Salaries are a minimum of £28,000 with an average of £30,000 and a maximum of £40,000. Solicitors on the other hand are seeing the highest gains. A newly qualified solicitor earns a minimum of £27,000 with an average of £30,000 and maximum of £51,000.
Having years of experience as a legal secretary or a similar role may increase your salary. Working in bigger or international law firm may also increase your salary with Linklaters Dechert and DLA Piper paying £38,355, £43,663 and £40, 429 per year respectively.
However, enrolling onto a legal course will improve knowledge and increase your chances of better salary. Proving your value to the business is likely to boost your salary. This can take the form of taking on more responsibility or helping colleagues perform tasks. This should be done wisely as workload might be doubled and may lead to inability to perform tasks.
By Andrea Dennis
