What Do Legal Services Professionals Do?
Are you a multi-tasking magician with a mind for justice? Looking for a job that is well-paid, respected, and where every day is different? If you answered yes to either question a career in Legal Services may be just right for you – let’s dive in and find out, shall we?
What is a Career in Legal Services?
The law impacts just about every aspect of our lives and the Legal Services profession is all about ensuring that those often-complicated processes and procedures run smoothly. Tasks can include scheduling trials; documenting court proceedings; maintaining records, and even swearing in jurors. In a nutshell, Legal Services provide clerical and administrative support to a broad range of legal professionals, ranging from solicitors and barristers to judges.
Pursuing a career in Legal Services can also open up opportunities in the private sector as well, because not only do many businesses now have their own in-house legal team, but your organisational skills and knowledge of the law will be highly valued in a wide variety of positions.
The following skills and qualities will make you a perfect fit for a career in Legal Services;
- Attention to detail
- Exceptional organisational abilities
- Clear communication
- Above-average math skills
- A talent for writing
- An understanding of the legal system
What Qualifications do I Need for a Career in Legal Services?
A successful career in Legal Services starts with the right qualifications; after all, to do your job effectively you will need to have in-depth knowledge of a wide range of policies and procedures.
An ideal pathway into a career as a Court or Legal Clerk is to take a Certificate IV or Diploma of Legal Services, as not only will it provide a thorough understanding of the law, it will stand you in good stead if you one day decide to go on and pursue a law degree. A Certificate III in Business Administration (Legal) is another great option, as it will do wonders for your organisation skills and equip you with an extremely valuable and highly transferrable skill set.
If you are having trouble choosing between the many exciting careers in law available or just want to find out more about the industry before making your decision, the following professional bodies can provide a broad range of knowledge and support;
- The Law Council of Australia
- The Law Society of New South Wales
- The Queensland Law Society
- The Law Institute of Victoria
“The law impacts just about every aspect of our lives and the Legal Services profession is all about ensuring that those often-complicated processes and procedures run smoothly.”
Where Will my Career Take Me?
While there has been a slight decline in Legal Services jobs over the past 5 years, this vital industry is expected to enjoy moderate to strong growth through 2017 and beyond, making this a great career choice for those looking for secure employment.
Most Legal Services qualifications are recognised nationwide; therefore, graduates can live and work all over Australia, and because the legal systems in all Commonwealth countries are based off the same system, you may even get the chance to work overseas.
There are currently 12,500 people employed in Court and Legal Services in Australia, over half of who work in NSW and Victoria. The starting salary for most legal graduate jobs is usually around $45,000 P/A, with experienced Legal Services professionals making as much as $75,000 P/A.
The following are just a few of the many legal jobs that a career in Legal Services can lead to;
- Legal Clerk
- Court Officer
- Paralegal
- Conveyancer
- Legal Secretary
- Settlement Clerk
- Legal Executive
- Lawyer
Think you’ve got what it takes to thrive in Legal Services? If so, there is no shortage of amazing courses that will get you trained up in a hurry, many of which even allow you to study law online. So what are you waiting for? Start your dream career today!
