do lawyers get secretaries...

[nate]

in "biglaw" and "midlaw"? honestly, i'm not too concerned about this kind of "prestige" thing (if you can even call concern over having a secretary that), but my friend today was telling me that lawyers in most firms get them.

maybe it's a stupid question, but is this true? if so, i suppose i've just never thought about it. and also if so, at a firm with 50-100 lawyers, why is it necessary?

[jd2b06]

Yes this is pretty routine for big law firms.  Especially if you've made it past the grunt work and training of a new hire.

[nate]

Yes this is pretty routine for big law firms.  Especially if you've made it past the grunt work and training of a new hire.

so not right when you start, then?

and any idea about "midlaw"?

[plumbert]

I did a lot of temp work at law firms as an undergrad--the biggest firm was about 100 attorneys, the smallest was 3 attorneys--and I've never seen a firm that didn't have secretaries ("assistants") for the attorneys. Now, at the small firms two attorneys might share a secretary--in fact, that is common at mid-sized firms as well--but I've never even *heard* of a firm that left an attorney with no secretarial support whatsoever, even on their first day.

In addition, at the bigger firms there are usually other kinds of support staffers--people who ship and receive your mail and deliveries, people who put documents together and distribute them, people who keep your calendar, people who handle your files, etc.

[jacy85]

You get a secretary right when you start, whether you're just a summer associate or just a first year attorney or whatever.  The work you give them will be pretty minimal, since you're at the bottom of the food chain.  They're basically there to answer your calls and maybe type something up if you're in a jam.

Be very nice to your secretaries.  I worked in a firm, and saw attorneys mistreat these people, and not realize they were shooting them in the foot.  First, when you're a summer associate, they absolutely ask your secretary how you are, what kind of person you are, how you treated him/her, ect.  Being an ass to a secretary can screw you out of a job offer.  This also applies for when you interview.   The secretary that offers you a seat and any thing to drink is making opinions of you, and you can be almost sure that those opinions will be voiced if they're bad.

As an attorney, it's just common sense that if you treat your secretary well, she'll be more likely to go above and beyond the call of duty for you.  If you're a total d*ck, then they're clocking out at 5 pm as often as possible.

[plumbert]

Good point. I know for a fact that sometimes even receptionists are asked their opinions of interviewees and summer associates. Firms don't want problem attorneys--and pissing off the support staff is a big problem indeed!

[T. Durden]

@#!* i want a secretary - something blonde young and impressionable - someone who has just left home for the first time, the "pie-eyed wow the world is a big place" type that i can take advantage of and impress with my legal know-how and six figure salary

maybe a shiny silver two door thing to take her home in

yeah, i like the sound of this