Job Profile: Law Office Manager

The Job

• Law office managers support law office operations by supervising staff and maintaining legal reference resources, office supplies and equipment.
• They ensure that the office complies with legal requirements and work to reduce operating costs.
• They also identify future client service requirements.

  Law office managers need to be able to work with numbers.

Skills

• Efficiency in managing support staff, budget expenses, office supplies and client records.
• Ability to communicate effectively, make decisions and solve problems.

  Office managers should be able to motivate workers. This requires confidence, resolve and good people skills.

• Attention to detail.

Education

• Many employers require office managers to have some education or training beyond high school.
• An associate's degree is enough for many jobs, but some employers prefer office managers have bachelor's degrees in office administration or management.
• Courses are available at vocational and business schools as well as community colleges. Helpful courses include personnel and office management, supervision and time management

Outlook

• Nationally, the employment of office managers is expected to grow at an average rate through 2008.
• Most job openings will result from the need to replace managers who leave these jobs or retire.

  Law office managers must their employees' strengths and weaknesses to ensure work is done and the office runs well.

Related Careers

• Several other occupations call for a specialized understanding of the law and the legal system but do not require a lawyer's extensive training. These include legal secretaries, abstractors and title examiners, paralegals, claim examiners and tax preparers.
• Other similar careers include accountants and auditors, bookkeeping and accounting clerks, buyers, purchasing agents and secretaries.

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Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2000-01 Edition, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor; HiringTools