Ethics and Legal Studies | University of Pennsylvania

Skills & Competencies

Skills developed through this program

Auto-populatedfrom O*NET via SOC 43-6012.00

Skills

Reading ComprehensionActive ListeningWritingSpeakingTime ManagementCritical ThinkingMonitoringSocial Perceptiveness

Knowledge

AdministrativeEnglish LanguageLaw and GovernmentCustomer and Personal ServiceComputers and Electronics

Abilities

Oral ComprehensionWritten ComprehensionNear VisionOral ExpressionWritten ExpressionSpeech RecognitionSpeech ClarityInformation OrderingSelective AttentionProblem Sensitivity

Tasks

Organize and maintain law libraries, documents, and case files.
Mail, fax, or arrange for delivery of legal correspondence to clients, witnesses, and court official
Prepare and distribute invoices to bill clients or pay account expenses.

Technology

Data base user interface and query softwareDocument management softwareAccounting softwareCalendar and scheduling softwareHuman resources software

Tools

Digital audio recordersDigital camerasDigital duplicating machinesDocument scannersDocument shreddersElectric typewritersHandheld calculatorsLaptop computersLaser facsimile machinesMicrofiche machinesMulti-line telephone systemsPagersPersonal computersPhotocopying equipmentSwitchboards

Work Values

RelationshipsSupportWorking ConditionsAchievementRecognitionIndependence

Career Pathways

Occupations this program prepares you for

Auto-populatedfrom O*NET + BLS

Occupations matched to this program, with median wage, top wage, growth, and openings
SOC	Occupation	Method	Wage	Growth	Openings
Match confidence: medium43-6012.00	Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants	title_inference	$54,140 median$87,660 top	-5.76%	-900

Program Pathways

Credentials this program stacks toward

No program pathways.

What You'll Learn

Key competencies developed through this program

Auto-populatedfrom NSX Competency Framework

Mastery: advanced (Level 4)(based on Doctoral Degree)

Administrative support standards and document-management policies — establish and enforce firm-wide to ensure consistency, accuracy, and regulatory compliance across all practice groups.
Legal secretarial and administrative staff — mentor, train, and evaluate to develop competency at emerging and developing levels in document preparation and court procedures.
Firm billing and accounts payable workflows — redesign and optimize using integrated accounting and project management software to improve efficiency and reduce revenue leakage.
Technology adoption initiatives — lead evaluation and rollout of new document management, scheduling, and cloud-sharing platforms across the administrative department.
Cross-functional coordination between attorneys, paralegals, and administrative teams — orchestrate at organizational scale to ensure seamless case lifecycle management.
Quality assurance protocols for legal document production — develop and audit to uphold zero-defect standards in high-stakes litigation and transactional environments.
Vendor and court liaison relationships — cultivate and manage strategically, negotiating service levels for courier, process serving, and legal research resources.
Office operational procedures and administrative handbooks — author and periodically revise to reflect evolving court rules, technology changes, and firm growth.
Risk and compliance oversight for administrative functions — identify procedural vulnerabilities in filing, records retention, and client communication and implement corrective controls.
Strategic resource planning for the administrative support function — forecast staffing, technology, and workflow needs in alignment with firm growth and practice area priorities.

Program Details

Detailed information about this program

No detailed information available.

Requirements

What you need to earn this credential

No requirements listed.

Financial Aid

Eligible funding programs

No funding information available.

Scholarships

No scholarships listed.