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Technology Is Making the Role of a Legal Secretary More Secure Than Ever Before

Most law firms avoid posting jobs on Indeed or LinkedIn due to high costs. Instead, they publish them on their own websites, bar association pages, and niche legal boards. LawCrossing finds these hidden jobs, giving you access to exclusive opportunities. Sign up now!

published November 26, 2012

By Harrison Barnes, CEO and Founder - BCG Attorney Search

While the world continues to change with technological growth, keeping in step with technological growth is required in every profession. With radical changes taking place in the entire dynamics of information storage, access, retrieval, publishing and search and indexing mechanisms, apparently a lot of secretarial work that can be done either more efficiently or cost-effectively by software is being delegated to software.

Role of a legal secretary more secure than ever before

What is happening is actually a shift in the scope of human endeavor related to every field. Legal secretaries, who previously used to take down dictation in shorthand, and then transcribe the dictation by typing out on paper, can now just have digital voice recordings transcribed by software, and then just do legal copyediting and create a finished product without the involvement of paper or ink.

The role of the legal secretary is shifting from a career centered around document management and production towards a career where time and project management based upon technology use is becoming increasing critical.

Right now, a legal secretary does not need to know shorthand, but needs to know about electronic document filing. He/she does not need to repetitively retype standard documents every time for different addressees, but he/she needs to know the use of software related to case management, calendaring/docketing, document assembly, legal research, document management, document imaging, litigation support, time and billing, and litigation presentation.

The importance of legal secretaries has not diminished, and has no chance of diminishing in the foreseeable future. But, what has diminished is the need for services of legal secretaries rendered in the traditional fashion.

So, legal secretaries who are not ready to adapt to new ways of working find that the demand of their services is being reduced. This does not affect the demand for core services and competencies of legal secretaries. The workflows have become speedier, and the work that previously needed armies of associates and legal secretaries to be completed, can now be done with a few well-trained staff and proper software.

And legal secretaries are adapting faster than ever to the new trends of work. It all depends really upon personal abilities and traits. Even in adapting to software use there are great differences between generations. While today, almost all legal secretaries are comfortable with using at least two categories of software – word processing and calendaring/docketing, curiously many are reluctant to adapt to the use of other software regularly used by law firms.

At the same time, many legal secretaries are forging ahead by learning and using software related to presentations, online research, case management, time and billing, voice recognition, desktop publishing, and even image processing
software. By gaining new competencies aligned with modern law firm environments, such legal secretaries continue to be indispensable to law firms.

Technology has become a great leveler in law firm environments, and from experienced attorneys to legal secretaries, everyone is engaged in adapting to new technology and facing the same or similar problems, as well as becoming empowered with the same or similar capabilities.

The line between the legal secretary, the paralegal, and the back-office staff attorney is blurring every day with the introduction of more and more powerful software systems. Currently, the technological growth has come to a stage where, unthinkably, even logic systems are being offered to and being used by law firms. Such logic systems, which are of immense help to law firms, usually end up being handled by legal secretaries supervised by attorneys.

So, as with almost all other functional roles in a law firm, the role of the legal secretary is also changing from that of a document manager to that of an employee with administrative and managerial abilities who works as part of a team and works in a collaborative environment. It's not something to rue about, but something to celebrate – if you are ready to adapt, your career has just become more secure, and you cannot be replaced any more by just any other typist walking down the street.

About Harrison Barnes

No legal recruiter in the United States has placed more attorneys at top law firms across every practice area than Harrison Barnes. His unmatched expertise, industry connections, and proven placement strategies have made him the most influential legal career advisor for attorneys seeking success in Big Law, elite boutiques, mid-sized firms, small firms, firms in the largest and smallest markets, and in over 350 separate practice areas.

A Reach Unlike Any Other Legal Recruiter

Most legal recruiters focus only on placing attorneys in large markets or specific practice areas, but Harrison places attorneys at all levels, in all practice areas, and in all locations—from the most prestigious firms in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., to small and mid-sized firms in rural markets. Every week, he successfully places attorneys not only in high-demand practice areas like corporate and litigation but also in niche and less commonly recruited areas such as:

Immigration law
Workers’ compensation
Insurance defense
Family law
Trusts & estates
Municipal law
And many more...

This breadth of placements is unheard of in the legal recruiting industry and is a testament to his extraordinary ability to connect attorneys with the right firms, regardless of market size or practice area.

Proven Success at All Levels

With over 25 years of experience, Harrison has successfully placed attorneys at over 1,000 law firms, including:

Top Am Law 100 firms such including Sullivan and Cromwell, and almost every AmLaw 100 and AmLaw 200 law firm.
Elite boutique firms with specialized practices
Mid-sized firms looking to expand their practice areas
Growing firms in small and rural markets

He has also placed hundreds of law firm partners and has worked on firm and practice area mergers, helping law firms strategically grow their teams.

Unmatched Commitment to Attorney Success – The Story of BCG Attorney Search

Harrison Barnes is not just the most effective legal recruiter in the country, he is also the founder of BCG Attorney Search, a recruiting powerhouse that has helped thousands of attorneys transform their careers. His vision for BCG goes beyond just job placement; it is built on a mission to provide attorneys with opportunities they would never have access to otherwise. Unlike traditional recruiting firms, BCG Attorney Search operates as a career partner, not just a placement service. The firm’s unparalleled resources, including a team of over 150 employees, enable it to offer customized job searches, direct outreach to firms, and market intelligence that no other legal recruiting service provides. Attorneys working with Harrison and BCG gain access to hidden opportunities, real-time insights on firm hiring trends, and guidance from a team that truly understands the legal market. You can read more about how BCG Attorney Search revolutionizes legal recruiting here: The Story of BCG Attorney Search and What We Do for You.

The Most Trusted Career Advisor for Attorneys

Harrison’s legal career insights are the most widely followed in the profession.

His articles on BCG Search alone are read by over 150,000 attorneys per month, making his guidance the most sought-after in the legal field. Read his latest insights here.
He has conducted hundreds of hours of career development webinars, available here: Harrison Barnes Webinar Replays.
His placement success is unmatched—see examples here: Harrison Barnes' Attorney Placements.
He has created numerous comprehensive career development courses, including BigLaw Breakthrough, designed to help attorneys land positions at elite law firms.

Submit Your Resume to Work with Harrison Barnes

If you are serious about advancing your legal career and want access to the most sought-after law firm opportunities, Harrison Barnes is the most powerful recruiter to have on your side.

Submit your resume today to start working with him: Submit Resume Here.

With an unmatched track record of success, a vast team of over 150 dedicated employees, and a reach into every market and practice area, Harrison Barnes is the recruiter who makes career transformations happen and has the talent and resources behind him to make this happen.

A Relentless Commitment to Attorney Success

Unlike most recruiters who work with only a narrow subset of attorneys, Harrison Barnes works with lawyers at all stages of their careers, from junior associates to senior partners, in every practice area imaginable. His placements are not limited to only those with "elite" credentials—he has helped thousands of attorneys, including those who thought it was impossible to move firms, find their next great opportunity.

Harrison’s work is backed by a team of over 150 professionals who work around the clock to uncover hidden job opportunities at law firms across the country. His team:

Finds and creates job openings that aren’t publicly listed, giving attorneys access to exclusive opportunities.
Works closely with candidates to ensure their resumes and applications stand out.
Provides ongoing guidance and career coaching to help attorneys navigate interviews, negotiations, and transitions successfully.

This level of dedicated support is unmatched in the legal recruiting industry.

A Legal Recruiter Who Changes Lives

Harrison believes that every attorney—no matter their background, law school, or previous experience—has the potential to find success in the right law firm environment. Many attorneys come to him feeling stuck in their careers, underpaid, or unsure of their next steps. Through his unique ability to identify the right opportunities, he helps attorneys transform their careers in ways they never thought possible.

He has worked with:

Attorneys making below-market salaries who went on to double or triple their earnings at new firms.
Senior attorneys who believed they were “too experienced” to make a move and found better roles with firms eager for their expertise.
Attorneys in small or remote markets who assumed they had no options—only to be placed at strong firms they never knew existed.
Partners looking for a better platform or more autonomy who successfully transitioned to firms where they could grow their practice.

For attorneys who think their options are limited, Harrison Barnes has proven time and time again that opportunities exist—often in places they never expected.

Submit Your Resume Today – Start Your Career Transformation

If you want to explore new career opportunities, Harrison Barnes and BCG Attorney Search are your best resources. Whether you are looking for a BigLaw position, a boutique firm, or a move to a better work environment, Harrison’s expertise will help you take control of your future.

? Submit Your Resume Here to get started with Harrison Barnes today.

Alternative Summary

Harrison is the founder of BCG Attorney Search and several companies in the legal employment space that collectively gets thousands of attorneys jobs each year. Harrison’s writings about attorney careers and placement attract millions of reads each year. Harrison is widely considered the most successful recruiter in the United States and personally places multiple attorneys most weeks. His articles on legal search and placement are read by attorneys, law students and others millions of times per year.

More about Harrison

About LawCrossing

LawCrossing has received tens of thousands of attorneys jobs and has been the leading legal job board in the United States for almost two decades. LawCrossing helps attorneys dramatically improve their careers by locating every legal job opening in the market. Unlike other job sites, LawCrossing consolidates every job in the legal market and posts jobs regardless of whether or not an employer is paying. LawCrossing takes your legal career seriously and understands the legal profession. For more information, please visit www.LawCrossing.com.

Gain an advantage in your legal job search. LawCrossing uncovers hidden positions that firms post on their own websites and industry-specific job boards—jobs that never appear on Indeed or LinkedIn. Don't miss out. Sign up now!