LEGAL SECRETARY 1
Career Family: LEGAL SECRETARY
Legal Secretary 1 is a competitive state or local title, the kind you test for: the exam result, not a hiring manager's pick, decides where you land in line.
Of the 2 Legal Secretary grades this one pays the most, sitting just above Legal Secretary 2. What it takes is 2 years of relevant experience. Pay on the FY2026 schedule runs $49,266 to $71,403, and state payroll currently lists about 51 people in the title, led by Law and Public Safety.
How to get hired
- Watch for an open-competitive announcement for Legal Secretary 1 on the NJ Civil Service Commission jobs portal. Announcements run for a fixed filing window.
- Apply during that window and sit the examination. Depending on the title, that can be a written test, a rating of your training and experience, or a mix of the two.
- Passing scores go onto a ranked eligible list. Veterans get preference points added on top of their score.
- When an agency has a vacancy it must appoint from the top of that list under the "Rule of Three." Many competitive jobs are first filled provisionally while the list is being built.
Read the official specification at NJ Civil Service Commission.
Pay ladder: Legal Secretary series
- Legal Secretary 2 — $45,147 – $65,245
- Legal Secretary 1 — $49,266 – $71,403 (this title)
Its top salary lands around the 13th percentile of all NJ civil service titles that publish a range.
Rungs are ordered by FY2026 pay. NJ level numbers are not always sequential, so ordering follows salary rather than the title number.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 51 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $71,403. The agencies employing the most are:
- Law and Public Safety (26)
- Office of the Public Defender (21)
- Division of Rate Counsel (2)
- Human Services (1)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator.
Definition
Under direction of an attorney or other supervisory official in a state department or agency, or local government jurisdiction, transcribes or types dictation irrespective of medium, which is of a complex legal nature and requires a comprehensive knowledge of legal procedure and terminology; may act as a lead worker over other clerical and or secretarial employees; maintains dockets, looks up references, and generally functions in the capacity of a secretary; does other related duties.
Examples of work
- Transcribes or types dictation, frequently of a complex legal nature.
- As required, may assign and review work of secretaries and other clerical employees.
- Composes correspondence of a routine nature.
- Prepares standard legal forms, as required.
- Reviews and proofreads legal briefs and other materials, including transcriptions, pleadings, and citations.
- Handles requests for information.
- Prepares correspondence and other materials.
- Establishes and maintains confidential, case, follow-up, and other essential legal records and files.
- Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and computerized information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
Experience
Two (2) years of experience in transcribing or typing legal dictation or documents.
License
Appointee will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
- Knowledge of office methods, practices, routines, and equipment.
- Knowledge of approved English usage, correct spelling, sentence structure, and paragraphing.
- Knowledge of legal terminology, standard legal forms, and law office procedures.
- Ability to proficiently type and/or transcribe.
- Ability to function as a secretary to a legal staff member.
- Ability to transcribe or type dictation or documents which may be of a complex nature and which requires a comprehensive knowledge of legal procedures and terminology.
- Ability to learn quickly from oral and written instruction and explanations.
- Ability to locate and check legal citations and references and to proofread legal documents.
- Ability to assemble data for and complete standard legal forms.
- Ability to initiate form letters, and other routine correspondence.
- Ability to maintain dockets.
- Ability to maintain confidential, follow-up, and other legal records and files.
- Ability to learn and utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
- Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
- Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
Note
The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.
Successful completion of a clerical training program with a minimum of 700 classroom training hours or thirty (30) semester hour credits in secretarial science from an accredited college or university may be substituted for one (1) year of the experience indicated above. Course work must include typing skills, methods, and procedures; other courses may include, but not be limited to, office procedures, word processing, and business English.