Certification is optional for legal secretaries. It is rarely required for employment or advancement. Legal secretaries who have less than three years of experience can become Accredited Legal Secretaries (ALS). Those who have three or more years of experience can be certified as a Professional Legal Secretary (PLS). ALS is a four-part, three hour exam that covers communication, legal procedures, decision making, and ethics. The PLS title requires:

• Three years of experience, and
• passing an all day, four part exam.

For more information, contact:

Certification for legal secretaries who have five or more years of experience is also available from: