Highest-Paying Legal Secretary Jobs [2023]

Research Summary. Using a combination of public government and company data as well as data gathered from thousands of job postings, the Zippia data team has created average salary estimates for jobs across the US. Using that data set, the team has identified the types of legal secretaries that are the highest paid based on their average annual salaries.

Here is a summary of our findings for the highest-paying types of legal secretaries:

• Assistant Secretary is the highest-paid type of legal secretary with an average salary of $107,366 and an average hourly rate of $51.62.

• The second highest-paying type of legal secretary is senior legal secretary, with an average salary of $60,027.

• The average legal secretary salary is $41,725 per year, and the average hourly pay is $20.06.

Table Of Contents: Background | Table | Methodology | FAQs

Background

Choosing a career path can be difficult, and while pay shouldn’t be the only thing you consider in your decision, it is a significant factor. So if you’d like to work as a legal secretary, it helps to have an idea of what the highest-paid types of legal secretaries are so that you can plan your career progression.

Here are the top salaries for different types of legal secretaries:

1. Assistant Secretary

   Average Salary: $107,366

   An assistant secretary is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties to support the daily operations of various departments and management personnel and ensure the efficiency of business functions. Assistant secretaries usually assist in business communications, responding to customers’ inquiries and concerns, reaching out to existing clients to schedule appointments, welcoming guests on the office, and routing calls to the appropriate department. They also handle data entry procedures, updating customer information on the database, as well as creating reports on business and financial transactions.

2. Senior Legal Secretary

   Average Salary: $60,027

   As a senior legal secretary, you have to look after the complex documents of the company and help in the legal filing of these documents within the deadlines. You also need to have great excel skills as there is often a need to create spreadsheets. Typing in legal documents is one of the most necessary skills of a senior legal secretary.

   You also need to create great PowerPoint presentations to educate the people in your department. Moreover, you also need to search for warrants and case reports, analyze the data, and communicate with the respective attorneys regarding the contact information.

3. Litigation Paralegal

   Average Salary: $58,484

   A litigation paralegal is a specialist who is responsible for assisting attorneys throughout the trial process. On the plaintiff side, litigation paralegals conduct initial client interviews and legal research for case preparations. They assist with the preliminary examinations of witnesses and jury selection in the courtroom. Litigation paralegals often assist attorneys with case settlements and help identify issues for appeals. They must also possess excellent skills in verbal and written communication and should have great attention in detail.

4. District Court Administrator

   Average Salary: $57,087

5. Paralegal/Office Manager

   Average Salary: $56,389

   A Paralegal/Office Manager is responsible for distributing cases to paralegals and assuring their timely completion, as well as supervising the services provided by them. They train paralegals on statutes, recorded judicial decisions, and other legal articles or documents.

Below is a full table of the average pay for various legal secretary that pay the most followed by a more detailed explanation of our methodology.

Highest-Paying Types Of Legal Secretaries

Methodology

Zippia uses publicly published information from government sources such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC), and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to create its salary estimates.

Our data science team also checks job postings and company-published resources for additional up-to-date salary information for legal secretaries.

Once they’ve gathered the data, the team calculates a weighted average for each job title they’re estimating a salary for. For more details on our salary estimates, you can read the detailed methodology.

Highest-Paying Types Of Legal Secretary Jobs FAQs

1. What is the highest-paid legal secretary job?

   The highest-paid legal secretary job is an assistant secretary. Assistant Secretaries earn an average salary of $107,366, which is $ 51.62 hourly.

   An assistant secretary is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties to support the daily operations of various departments and management personnel and ensure the efficiency of business functions. Assistant secretaries usually assist in business communications, responding to customers’ inquiries and concerns, reaching out to existing clients to schedule appointments, welcoming guests on the office, and routing calls to the appropriate department. They also handle data entry procedures, updating customer information on the database, as well as creating reports on business and financial transactions.

2. What is a good salary for a legal secretary?

   A good salary for a legal secretary is $41,725 or more. The average legal secretary salary is $41,725, so those making at least $41,725 are earning above-average paychecks.

   Keep in mind, however, that the average legal secretary salary does fluctuate based on location, as companies will adjust their pay scales based on the cost of living in that area. Research what the average salary is in your area for someone of your expertise and experience level to get a more accurate view on how well you’re being paid.

   In addition, if you’re just starting your career as a legal secretary, the average entry level salary is $31,049, so don’t base your opinion of your salary on the $41,725 average, as this includes all legal secretaries of all skill and experience levels.

3. Do Legal Secretary jobs pay well?

   No, legal secretary jobs don’t pay well. As in any industry, some legal secretary jobs pay better than others, but the average legal secretary salary of $41,725 is times the average national salary of about $44,225 per year.

   In addition to this, many legal secretary jobs have high earning potential, with the top 10% of legal secretaries earning $53,952 a year on average.

   Legal Secretaries’ salaries will fluctuate based on their experience level, industry, and location, so pay attention to these factors when you’re looking for a job as a legal secretary. Do your research on the going rate for a legal secretary in your area with your expertise, and don’t be afraid to negotiate your salary based on that information.

4. Where do legal secretaries get paid the most?

   Legal Secretaries get paid the most in District of Columbia. In District of Columbia, legal secretaries earn an average annual salary of $61,436 and an average hourly wage of $29.54.

   Following DC, the states with the highest-paid legal secretaries are West Virginia, New Jersey, and Connecticut, with average annual salaries of $53,189, $48,210, and $48,850 respectively.

   The cities with the highest-paid legal secretary salaries are:

   1. Washington, DC – $61,547

   2. San Francisco, CA – $57,151

   3. Denver, CO – $50,395

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.