Just A Secretary?
By Pamela Ross
@ChildofGod81 (504)
United States
August 9, 2016 10:52am CST
I am a Legal Assistant, but I have a lot of secretarial duties. These duties include answering the phone, and arranging my lawyer's schedule. A client called earlier this morning to speak to the lawyer, and while I was taking the phone to her, I heard him tell his wife, "I just think it would be better to speak to the lawyer than a SECRETARY."
I'm already not feeling well, and for someone to try to belittle what I do wasn't ok with me.
The way he said secretary just really pissed me off. Legal assistants do so much more than we get credit for, and we have more power than people think. So the next time you feel yourself getting condescending toward someone who works in a position like this, please understand they have more power than you think, and they can "spit in your food" if they need to.
Be kind. Please. You can make someone's day.
3 people like this
3 responses
@CinnamonGrl (7083)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
9 Aug 16
I was an admin assistant at our county superior court for 16 years. I heard things like that quite a bit. And of course NOBODY is going to get to talk to a judge unless they're in the courtroom. It is annoying. People can be soooo rude! I hope everyone who sees your discussion thinks about this before they make their next phone call. Anyway, don't they know you can catch more flies with honey?
@ChildofGod81 (504)
• United States
9 Aug 16
I wanted so badly to tell him that the lawyer was in a meeting. If/When he asked when he could speak to her, I wanted to say, "I don't know. I'm JUST a secretary." lol. But I didn't because I'm a bigger person than that. I don't always want to be a bigger person, but it's the way of the world.
Someone else called later, and yelled at me wanting to speak to the lawyer, but as soon as I got her on the phone the person was all, "I'm sorry to bother you." So it's ok to yell at the assistant, but not the lawyer? wow. What happened to not yelling at anyone?
1 person likes this
@ChildofGod81 (504)
• United States
9 Aug 16
@CinnamonGrl Things will be better tomorrow. At least (hopefully) by then I won't be sick anymore. This cold is kicking my butt.
@Hannihar (129540)
• Israel
5 Feb 18
The world is full of all kinds of people. That person is a very small minded person. They do not know you and do not know what your duties are.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
8 Sep 16
I always thought legal aides were a lot more than a secretary thats for sure I have read about how you have to train for this I would never belittle a legal aide at all
