Legal Secretary Jobs in Tucson, AZ
In Tucson, legal secretary jobs sit mostly in public law offices: the Pima County Attorney, the county's public defenders, the City Attorney and the Arizona Attorney General. County roles start at $18.24 an hour, and City pay reaches $32.94. Current openings are below, followed by who hires and what it takes.
Current Legal Secretary Openings in Tucson, AZ
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Legal Secretary Work in Tucson
Pima County is the biggest name in this work. The County Attorney's Office keeps a standing hiring register for legal secretaries across its divisions, and Public Defense Services, including the Office of Children's Counsel, hires under the same county classification. These jobs mean prosecution and defense caseloads: motions for continuance, trial calendars, witness contacts and coordination with law enforcement. The City of Tucson's City Attorney hires legal secretaries to work on site at City Hall on West Alameda Street downtown.
The state and private sides add more. The Arizona Attorney General's Legal Secretary II posting lists openings in both Phoenix and Tucson, with some remote days possible within Arizona. Private civil litigation firms, such as the Law Offices of Dennis A. Rosen, look for secretaries who can transcribe, prepare discovery and handle court e-filing.
Top Tucson Employers for Legal Secretaries
These Tucson employers hire legal secretaries:
- Pima County Attorney's Office - keeps an ongoing register for legal secretaries who support prosecutors, paralegals and trial teams.
- Pima County Public Defense Services - the public defender offices and the Office of Children's Counsel hire legal secretaries for defense and children's counsel caseloads.
- City of Tucson - the City Attorney's office hires full-time legal secretaries at City Hall, with litigation experience preferred.
- Arizona Attorney General - Legal Secretary II roles in the Tucson and Phoenix offices prepare pleadings and coordinate service of process.
- Law Offices of Dennis A. Rosen - a Tucson civil litigation practice that hires experienced legal secretaries for pleadings, discovery and e-filing.
Legal Secretary Salaries in Tucson
- Entry level: roughly $18 to $22 an hour.
- Experienced: roughly $22 to $27 an hour.
- Senior or litigation specialist: roughly $27 to $33 an hour.
Pima County hires legal secretaries at $18.24 to $21.44 an hour on a range that tops out at $24.64. The City of Tucson's range runs $21.96 to $32.94, and the Attorney General lists $29,822 to $55,602 a year. Federal BLS data counted 450 legal secretaries and administrative assistants in the Tucson metro in May 2024, with a mean wage of $21.69 an hour. Litigation experience, fast accurate typing and court e-filing skills move pay up. These are estimates that vary by employer and experience.
How to Become a Legal Secretary in Tucson
Arizona has no license for legal secretaries. Pima County asks for coursework in legal terminology or legal office procedures plus a year of legal clerical experience, and accepts a legal secretary certificate or associate degree in place of that year. The City of Tucson wants six months of education after high school, two years of experience and a typing certificate showing at least 45 net words per minute. Tucson has no dedicated legal secretary program, so the closest local training is Pima Community College's ABA-approved Paralegal (Legal Assistant) program at Downtown Campus. Expect a background check, and fingerprinting at the Attorney General.
What the Job Involves
A legal secretary prepares and proofreads legal documents, forms and correspondence, transcribes dictation, tracks filing deadlines and keeps attorneys' calendars for hearings, trials and depositions. Public-office secretaries also contact clients and witnesses, index case files and compile statistical reports.
Skills Employers Look For
- Fast, accurate typing, with 45 net words per minute or better
- Legal terminology and Arizona and federal court rules
- Court e-filing and calendaring for multiple attorneys
- Transcription and proofreading
- Microsoft Word and Outlook, plus case management systems
- Confidentiality and calm under deadline pressure
Career Path and Advancement
In Tucson the common path runs from legal secretary to senior legal secretary or legal assistant, then to paralegal after formal training. Pima County credits a year in its own legal processing support roles toward the legal secretary minimum, and county experience carries over to the City, the state and private firms.
Related Careers in Tucson
These Tucson guides cover the closest roles for legal secretaries:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be a legal secretary in Arizona?
No. Arizona does not license legal secretaries. Public employers set their own requirements, such as legal terminology coursework at Pima County or a typing certificate at the City of Tucson.
How much do legal secretaries make in Tucson?
Pima County hires at $18.24 to $21.44 an hour, and the City of Tucson's range reaches $32.94 an hour. BLS put the Tucson mean at $21.69 an hour in May 2024.
Who hires the most legal secretaries in Tucson?
Pima County is the steadiest employer, with an ongoing hiring register at the County Attorney's Office and openings at Public Defense Services. The City Attorney, the Arizona Attorney General and private litigation firms hire as well.
What typing speed do Tucson legal secretary jobs require?
The City of Tucson requires a typing certificate from the past 12 months showing at least 45 net words per minute before an interview. Private firms ask for transcription experience and strong typing too.
Is legal secretary the same as legal assistant?
The roles overlap. Legal secretaries focus on documents, transcription, calendars and filing, while legal assistant titles at many firms add client contact and case support. Both can lead to paralegal work.
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