This course is an excellent starting point for people who wish to pursue careers as legal administrators and secretaries. Participants will learn how to accurately carry out audio transcription and copy typing, file and maintain electronic case management systems, prepare and type letters and other legal documents, deal with enquiries, meet and greet clients, organise diaries and appointments, handle petty cash, record payments, and organise the post. The learning outcomes are firmly focused on enabling participants to gain employment as legal administrators and secretaries or to progress to further education and training programmes.
What you’ll study – Course Modules:
- Induction# – The planned outcomes and conditions attached to attendance on the course; good safety, health and hygiene practices; the basic principles involved in environmental issues; and the meaning of equal opportunities.
- Information and Administration – Understand the various methods and systems of processing information and carry out information and administration tasks effectively.
- Text Production – Produce a range of documents to a mailable standard with a minimum speed of 35 words per minute.
- Word Processing – Operate word processing software to produce documents to a mailable and publishable standard.
- Audio Transcription – Perform audio transcription tasks including operating an audio trancription unit, understand the conventions of written language and numeracy, apply appropriate layout and presentation, produce documents to a mailable standard, proof documents, produce fluent text, and attain a minimum typing standard of 40 wpm and 97% accuracy.
- Business Law – Describe the principles and practices of business law and its impact on a range of business organisations.
- Legal Practice and Procedures – List the sources of Irish Law, explain the role of the constitution in the Irish legal system, describe the practices and procedures applying to civil cases and criminal trials, and outline the Law of Tort and the impact of European Law on Irish Law.
- Communications* – Communicate verbally and nonverbally in standard everyday tasks and in work-related tasks.
- Customer Service* – Provide effective customer service within a range of environments.
- Team working* – Examine the roles, responsibilities, characteristics and skills of team members; analyse the stages of team development; set team objectives; evaluate performance and progress; monitor personal strengths and weaknesses and demonstrate appropriate communication skills while engaged in teamwork activities.
- Work Practice –work independently, while under general supervision, in an organisation or specific vocational context related to legal administration and carry out vocationally related legal administration tasks over a period of time.
- Career planning and job seeking skills# – plan and achieve realistic employment and career goals.
# Denotes non-assessed modules. *Denotes optional modules – participants must study one optional module.
Certification:
FETAC Level 5 Major Award in Office Administration.
Participants must successfully complete component assessments in 8 of the assessed modules to achieve the Level 5 Major Award
Course Delivery Methods:
A combination of training methods is used to deliver this course. These include instructions, presentations, demonstrations, supervised practice, practical work training, simulated work environment practice, role plays, and giving and receiving feedback. Participants are required to actively participate in the learning process and engage in course work outside of normal course hours. They must complete a number of written exercises and assignments throughout the course and keep up-to-date records of their progress. A number of methods are used to assess the participants’ progress and for certification purposes. These include assignments, theory exams, practical exams, project work, portfolios, learner records and skills demonstrations.
Entry Requirements. Do you meet the following Criteria?
- Have a genuine interest in pursuing a career as a legal administrator.
- Reached the statutory school leaving age.
- FETAC Level 4 Major Award or equivalent.
- Good numerical and communication skills.
- Good verbal and written command of English.
- Good organisational skills and the ability to work under pressure.
- Good Customer service skills.
- Typing speed of 15 WPM with an accuracy of 95%.
Typical Employment Opportunities:
There are over 2000 law firms nationally ranging in size from 1 to 20 plus solicitors. Small firms employ at least one administrator while larger companies require multiple administrators. Administrators working in small companies develop expertise in a very wide range of legal tasks, while those working in larger companies may specialise in particular areas of law.
Start Date: 19th May 2014.
Recruitment: Recruitment for this course is by typing speed test and interview.
Duration: 41 weeks in total.This includes 10 weeks work practice in a legal administration office.
Course Hours: 8:30am to 3:45pm Monday to Thursday and 8:30am to 12:45pm on Friday.
Course Location: Tralee.