Legal Typing Test: WPM for Legal Secretaries

Legal secretary jobs in the public sector require 45 to 60 net WPM on a timed test. The Los Angeles City Attorney asks for 60 net WPM on a 5-minute test, deducting 1 WPM per error, with a maximum of 5 errors, and accepts no online certificates. San Francisco asks 55 net WPM, Lane County, Oregon 50, the State of California 45. Legal text is full of citations, numbers and capitals, so practice on the real thing. Below: requirements, scoring and a practice run.

What legal employers require

Private law firms set their own bar. The public numbers are a solid benchmark, because they're written down and tested.

How net WPM works

Net WPM = gross WPM minus errors per minute. Los Angeles spells it out: one word per minute is deducted for each error. An example on a 5-minute test:

• You type 66 gross WPM and make 6 errors: fail, above the 5-error maximum.
• You type 62 gross WPM and make 2 errors: 60 net WPM, pass.

Here's the thing: in legal typing, accuracy is the speed. A wrong case number or date in a filing is a real problem, and the test punishes it the same way.

Free legal typing practice test

Load a letter to opposing counsel into the speed test: practice with a legal letter (case caption, case number, rule citation, dates). Fictional, written like real correspondence.

Medical-legal documents mix both worlds, so the medical transcription typing test is good extra practice.

A two-to-four-week practice plan

1. Baseline: run the legal letter in 5-minute mode and calculate your net WPM.
2. Weak keys: the per-key placement test shows where parentheses, periods and numbers cost you.
3. Technique: 15 minutes a day in the touch typing course, accuracy first.
4. Symbols: the hard practice paragraphs train brackets, numbers and symbols.
5. Rehearsal: in the last week, one 5-minute run a day, aiming for your target with 2 errors or fewer.

Proof for your application

For private firms, a typing certificate with date, speed and accuracy backs up your resume. Public employers like Los Angeles require their own proctored certificate, so use ours to prepare. For how to list your speed, see typing speed for jobs.

Training a legal team? See typing training for companies.

FAQ

What typing speed does a legal secretary need?

Public employers ask for 45 to 60 net WPM. Los Angeles, one of the strictest, requires 60 net WPM with at most 5 errors.

How is net WPM calculated on a legal typing test?

Gross WPM minus one word per minute for each error, as in the Los Angeles rules. Many tests also cap the number of errors.

Are online typing certificates accepted for legal jobs?

Not by every employer. Los Angeles accepts no online certificates and requires one from the last 12 months. Private firms often test you on site.

What else is tested besides typing?

Los Angeles adds spelling and dictaphone tests. Private firms decide for themselves, so ask what the test includes when you're invited.

Sources

• City of Los Angeles: Legal Secretary I, exam bulletin and typing certification requirements (PDF) - 60 net WPM, 5 errors maximum, 1 WPM deducted per error, no online certificates.
• San Francisco DHR: Legal Secretary I/II classification (PDF) - 55 net WPM.
• Lane County, Oregon: Legal Secretary 1-2 class specification (PDF) - 50 net WPM from clear copy.
• State of California: Legal Secretary exam bulletin (PDF) - type at 45 WPM.