Posted by fiKS on 2/25/05 7:38pm
Msg #22538

Any Legal Secretary Experienced individuals out there?

I was contacted by a legal document preparation company, asking if I was interested in working with them as a sub-cont. I presume this has something to do with typing transcripts or documents because they said I needed to get some sort of a foot pedal. If any of you have any insight in these type of work, would you please email me? [e-mail address]

Reply by Mysti_FL on 2/25/05 7:48pm
Msg #22541

My sister works for a company that does that: Cybersecretaries. I started testing for it, but decided it wasn't for me.

Reply by Ernest_CT on 2/25/05 8:19pm
Msg #22545

I've replied to fiKS via email.

Yes, there are legitimate companies out there. Just watch out for scammers who want you to buy their hardware and/or software.

Yes, you may make more than minimum wage doing transcriptions at home. Maybe.

Reply by EP_VA on 2/26/05 5:18am
Msg #22597

What is the going rate? Are you paid per page? Do they specify a turnaround time? Any information would be helpful. Thanks.

Reply by tj_CA on 2/26/05 9:39am
Msg #22604

I have twenty years experience with that sort of thing. I'm also known as a Virtual Assistant. Although I only have a couple of clients left that I do that sort of work for -- it is pretty lucrative if done right. Mostly I do just loan signings and teach notary classes now. I was a legal secretary for prestigious LA law firms for 8 years and sometimes do document preparation. It basically just entails filling in legal forms or templates with information that someone has recorded. You need the foot pedal to control the listening (so your hands are free). They probably want you to get one that plugs into your USB port and they will probably send the recordings as .wav files. Whether this can be profitable or not depends on how they intend to pay you and how quickly you can type. Here's where I bought my pedal from: http://www.startstop.com/home.asp.

For research on Virtual Assistants, just google the term "Virtual Assistant" and a wealth of information will pop up including pricing etc. There is a yahoo group as well called "ABSSI" which stands for "Association of Business Support Services International" (I think). Hope this helps all you entrepreneurs out there!

Reply by fiKS on 2/26/05 10:18am
Msg #22607

Thanks TJ...n/m

Reply by Mysti_FL on 2/26/05 3:15pm
Msg #22638

I asked my sister who does this. It pays by the word - 1/2 cent per word. It claims you can earn from $10 - $12 per hour, however, you have to work up to that as you get used to listening to the recordings and determining at what point, if any, you should "give up" on a recording because you cannot descipher it. Within two months, my sister who types about 80-90 words per minute, worked her way up to $8 per hour, but she cautions, it has nothing to do with "true" typing speed. You can be a slower typist and still push up your hourly rate beyond what she earns.

Can you earn a living off it? Yes, but not a lucrative one! However, she has a one year old that she wants to stay at home with. So, it works out perfectly for her. She chooses hours (you must schedule yourself) when the baby typically sleeps or when her husband is around to take care of him. She also does customer service calls from HSN, Pizza Hut and other companies. Although I did something similar for about a year, I realized that although it does keep you working from home, you have to work a lot of hours to make it worthwhile.

Mysti

Reply by CarolynCO on 2/26/05 7:20pm
Msg #22659

For $8, $10, $12/hr. as an independent contractor, after taxes, which you are responsible for, you are clearing less than $3, less than $4.00 and less than $5.00 an hour. Where do I sign up?