A Guide to the Law Receptionist Profession
The specific duties of a law receptionist can include a wide variety of clerical and administrative tasks in support of a law office in the area of general law practice, or in specialized areas of law as is common with smaller to mid-size law offices. Speaking of small to mid-sized law offices, due to the reduction of court personnel because of budget restrictions in areas of criminal law practice, law receptionists can choose to specialize in these areas of law as well.
There are two basic areas of responsibility one would have as a law receptionist. One is to handle all general office tasks conducting them in a way that supports efficient office operation and provides exceptional customer service to clients. The second is to provide formal legal assistance in the area of law for which you are employed.
It is standard for law receptionists to perform such clerical and administrative tasks as managing correspondence and appointments, preparing and maintaining files and records, taking dictation, completing forms or legal documents, processing bills, and supervising or training subordinate staff or clerical workers.
As the role of the law receptionist varies from one law office to the next, so too does the level of responsibility. Depending on the size of the law firm and areas of specialization in which it practices, specific responsibilities may also vary, such as the employment of specialized computer systems, use of technology, and proficiency in various computer applications.
Being bilingual in terms of English/Spanish or English/Portuguese has also become a requirement in many law firms without regard to the area of law for practice.
Through the skills attained during on-the-job training and education , law receptionists have also become and are routinely now required to be responsible for completing the more commonly required office procedures and standardized forms experienced by any law office.
Advanced on-the-job experience is routinely required to secure a position as a law office receptionist. Administrative or management experience coordinating office or clerical work also beyond the norm for most administrative jobs, and additional on-the-job training may also be necessary.
There are many opportunities for law receptionists to provide clerical and administrative support to law office management and to those who practice in the fields of law. This includes completing tasks such as preparing and processing suspended licenses and insurance bond reduction requests, additional paperwork and notices for various court proceedings.
Law receptionists also are required who have special skills in managing litigation case records, maintaining and recording evidence from crimes, researching legal and factual material to support legal preparation, the preparation and filing of administrative documents and litigation papers. Completing claims forms for legal actions, and taking testimony in some cases are also routine tasks.
There are also opportunities to work in environmental law, real estate and construction law, and tax law. Many law offices also specialize in almost every aspect of business and corporate law and have law receptionists who are tasked to do general office work and administrative work in this area.
Skills and Experience Needed
The skills required for a law receptionist role go beyond those of a typical receptionist. As the potential first point of contact for clients, a law receptionist must possess a range of skills and qualifications suited to communicating and administering a law firm’s activities.
Communication is key to any receptionist position, but it is especially important in a law firm – an industry where etiquette is critical. Not only are law receptionists often the first face a client sees, but they also do the majority of the talking. Any lawyer that has ever sat uncomfortably through a poorly-written "elevator pitch" knows how important it is that the greeting is professional and fluent. Good communication is essential for every interaction: from answering questions on the cross-examination of a witness to reassuring a child who has been dragged along for pickup, every law receptionist must be able to communicate effectively with anyone who walks through the door.
Organization and multitasking are also essential attributes for a law receptionist. There are more than just calls to answer, files to store and printers to replace: legal offices contain a myriad of specific, complex tasks. A law receptionist will typically be responsible for managing sensitive documents and files, from contract agreements to medical records (especially for law practices such as personal injury law) – and at times they’ll be asked to handle highly confidential information. This makes organization a crucial skill. Depending on the size of the law office, they may also manage schedules and appointments for Associates, Counselors and the law Firm as a whole, taking on responsibilities equivalent to a secretary.
Perhaps the most formal qualifications a law receptionist can have are a degree in paralegal studies and/or certification from the National Association of Legal Secretaries. Though not mandatory, these courses are popular among law secretaries and receptionists as they allow you to work your way up to become a legal assistant, paralegal or executive secretary – a well-respected role that comes with many of the responsibilities of a lawyer (without the tuition costs and bar exam). The path to this goal is usually acquired through flexible online units that help receptionists manage school around their professional commitments.
To be a law receptionist, you will likely need proficiency in Microsoft Office, computerized scheduling and database programs, as well as customer service and HR applications. Rarely will you be able to avoid law-specific software programs, such as trial presentation software like Trial Director and transcripts tools like Case Guard, meaning that you may need to demonstrate proficiency in niche programs.
Typical Work Setting
The law receptionist is employed in law offices of all sizes. The smallest law offices will have just one receptionist, who essentially serves as the insurance policy for the firm, fielding calls and screening clients, would-be clients, and vendors from the attorneys, legal assistants and paralegals who keep the day-to-day operations running smoothly. In addition to answering the main phone line, the receptionist will be responsible for scheduling appointments, making travel arrangements for clients and attorneys, and updating calendars. The receptionist will also be in charge of processing billing and expense statements. This is a critical function in a small law firm, as most times the receptionist is the one who actually gets the bill into the mail or on the customer’s desk.
A firm with several receptionists will typically schedule shifts so that there is at least one receptionist present at the front desk, whose primary duties are answering the telephone and greeting visitors. If there is not a junior lawyer or senior paralegal present in the office, the receptionist performs basic clerical duties such as filing and copying. Often, a head receptionist will be charged with ordering supplies, preparing presentations and processing firm invoices. Some firms assess an extra fee to clients for the use of phone lines. The head receptionist will monitor and charge these fees.
Large firms with hundreds of employees usually have a staffing team of professional secretaries and receptionists, who in turn are divided by specialty areas. For instance, a bank-crisis center or insurance service area may have their own specific assistants. Junior and senior paralegals are the key staffers for these specific departments, but they rely heavily on the receptionist(s) for administrative support.
Career and Salary Prospects
Like many administrative jobs, the law receptionist role provides a pathway to a variety of other positions within a firm or legal department. An entry-level position most often leads to opportunities in legal secretarial work, which often leads to promotion to a paralegal. In these cases, the law receptionist has gained the relevant experience through working for attorneys and learning about the practice areas of the firm. Law firms and legal departments prefer hiring individuals from within when filling open paralegal and legal assistant positions.
With some experience under their belt , law receptionists may also decide to move into attorney support roles such as contract or in-house counsel. It’s important to note that most law firms prefer in-house counsel to have a law degree, although this is not always the case if the firm is smaller. Some smaller legal departments will hire external counsel on a non-retainer basis to appear in court.
Other current job postings at Clear Law Institute indicate that legal operations is a growing career path in law firms and corporate legal departments. Law firms are needing more of these roles to focus on efficiency and streamlining processes within the law firm. In fact, law firms now have Chief Legal Operations Officers, a position created in law firms a few years ago.
Creating an Effective Law Receptionist Job Description
In crafting a law receptionist job description, there are several key components that should be included. You want to be as clear and concise as possible about the position and its responsibilities. Providing a comprehensive explanation can help to save both you and candidates time in the application process.
Some of the areas that should be covered in your law receptionist job description are as follows:
- Working with clients
- Working with attorneys
- Answering phones
- Answering clients’ questions
- Taking payments for bills
- Making appointments
- Confirming appointments
- Drafting letters
- Scanning
- Copying
- Filing
- Emails
- Reminding clients of upcoming deadlines
- Typing documents
- Ordering office supplies
- Maintaining the reception area
- Assisting clients with payments
- Working on other administrative duties as required
- Ordering lunch or making arrangements for other meal tasks
Your law receptionist job description can be written in a straightforward manner but be as detailed as you wish so that applicants will have a clear sense of the responsibilities involved.
Challenges Faced by a Law Receptionist
Receptionists at law firms often face myriad challenges in their day-to-day activities. Among the most common is attending to difficult or high maintenance clients. While it is always important to be polite and professional, there may be times when a client is upset or irate. In those cases, it is essential to remain calm and try to reassure the client in order to diffuse the situation. If needed, receptionists can involve a more senior member of staff or an attorney to help.
A common complaint among law firm receptionists is that they have too many demands on their time. When not busy with clients in-person , they may have phones ringing off the hook. Receptionists must be able to prioritize their tasks to ensure the needs of both client types are met.
Dealing with confidential information is another challenge for law firm secretaries. Clients are often forthcoming with highly sensitive personal and financial information that must be kept secret. It is essential to create an atmosphere of comfort and trust. Sharing too much information with coworkers can increase the likelihood of breaches of confidentiality.