The Duties of A Secretary When we enter a law office the first individual we meet is the legal secretary. She is the one withe responsibility for the correspondence, records, and other affairs of a.law office. The word “secretary” reflects its Latin root secretum (secret), which originally referred to a person who acted as a confidant, and handled matters of a private nature for his principal. The executive position or executive secretary is one of major responsibility in business or government. First responsibility of a legal secretary each day is open, read, and note all mail received that day. It is