Being Donna - How to go from Secretary to Right Hand

For me, my favourite part of being a legal assistant is acting as the right hand to the person that I work for. If you watch the legal drama Suits, you may be familiar with Donna, the wonderful legal secretary who works for Harvey Spector. What sets Donna apart from most legal secretaries is her commitment to Harvey's practice. Being a right hand means that you are an active participant in your lawyer's practice - it goes beyond just mindlessly doing merely the tasks that your lawyer assigns you.

For some, being a right hand gives them true value in their role and makes their time at work much more enjoyable. If you are interested in being the right hand to the Solicitor that you work for, there are a number of skills that you will need to practice on a daily basis, as outlined below. 

Be reliable

"I prefer to appear at the exact moment I'm needed." - Donna Paulsen

Above probably everything else that is required of a right hand, your Solicitor must be able to rely upon you. To be reliable, you will need to consistently undertake work to the best of your ability both accurately and efficiently, as well as being available whenever they need you (within your working hours, of course).

Respect, trust and loyalty

In order to develop the working relationship that facilitates you becoming a Solicitor's right hand, it is important that there is respect, trust and loyalty - and this works both ways! In addition to you showing loyalty and respect to the Solicitor that you work for, your Solicitor will also need to respect and trust you and your skills in order for you to properly assist them as a right hand. It will be very difficult to work as the right hand for someone who doesn't respect your abilities and allow you to manage your (and sometime their own) workload.

Know "everything"

"I'm Donna. I know everything." - Donna Paulsen

Okay, it is impossible to know absolutely everything. However, you should attempt to be across all of the important aspects of your Solicitor's practice and workload. This will include (but certainly not be limited to) becoming familiar with the way that your Solicitor works, becoming familiar with your Solicitor's clients, and being aware of upcoming Court events and deadlines.

Take initiative

It will really assist your Solicitor to take the initiative to start tasks before you are asked to do so. This may not be something that you can do when you first start working together, but as you become familiar with the way that your Solicitor works, you can anticipate what actions may need to be taken. Always remember though that your Solicitor should always check off on what you have prepared before it is released or actioned.

Involve yourself in your solicitor's practice & show an interest in their professional goals

"Go forth and conquer." - Donna Paulsen, to Harvey Spector

You should show an interest in your Solicitor's professional goals and involve yourself in your Solicitor's practice. This may involve anything from file management, debtor management, assisting in organising further learning or applying for promotion, or even just encouraging them during day to day discussions about their career.

Other Skills

There are many other skills that will assist in being a right hand, which may also vary according to how your Solicitor runs their practice and how you fit into that. See our blog Happy Lawyer, Happy Admin, which goes into further detail about skills and tips for time management and prioritisation, accountability and communication which can all be helpful skills to becoming a Solicitor's right hand.