What is Legal Secretarial?
A Legal Secretarial professional provides administrative and secretarial support to legal executives, lawyers and paralegals. Students interested in careers in legal secretarial will perform tasks such as answering phones, conducting legal research, and drafting documents.
What 3rd Level Courses are Available?
Universities and colleges in Ireland are offering courses in the following subject areas:
- Legal Secretarial – the study of the science of managing a legal office, business, etc.
- Administration Studies – the study of the science of managing a company, business, etc.
- Legal Studies – the study of the practice of law.
Studying Legal Secretarial in College
Most first year study involves an overview of the subject. This will offer students an introduction to the foundational areas of law, including legal skills, contract law, tort law, and constitutional law. Additionally students will study basic administrative practices such as business writing, communications, and research skills. Legal Secretarial studies will often be a core area of study in subsequent years of study.
Depending on the sub-discipline of legal studies, students will likely move from exam-based study modules to more hands-on ‘clinical’ modules. Most Legal Secretarial modules will combine lectures, exams, case studies, and written practical work.
Most undergraduate Legal Secretarial courses run for three or four years. In some cases universities will facilitate work or internship experience as well. Additionally, there are many certificate programs run by Irish universities that will grant students certification to work as legal secretaries.
It is common that all law-based courses will require students to complete long-term research projects including a final dissertation or Capstone project. This will ensure the completion of a rigorous curriculum and prepare students for postgraduate studies and for careers in legal secretarial.
A bachelor’s degree in Legal Secretarial is adequate for many jobs in the legal field. For example, graduates with a bachelor’s degree may start working as secretarial staff for solicitors, barristers, lawyers, paralegals, or judges.
Career Options
Graduating from college with a degree in Legal Secretary studies will serve you well in the job market as it provides you with a unique and marketable skill set. A law degree teaches students how to think logically and analytically as well as equipping them with invaluable research and communication skills. The administrative skills earned through the study of Legal Secretarial will also be useful for application to any number of office-based careers.
Many recent graduates have entered into ‘entry-level’ positions working as journalists, accountants, and administrative staff to solicitors and barristers in Ireland and abroad. Some have gone on to work as research assistants, lawyers, or coding agents.
Other careers in legal secretarial that require a higher degree of responsibility will typically require further education, training, and/or experience to qualify for.
Related Jobs Include:
- Solicitor / Barrister
- Lawyer /Legal Assistant
- Legal Researcher
- Legal Secretary
- Office Secretary
- Journalist / Broadcaster
- Author
- Foreign Affairs Consultant
- Insurance Agent
Further Study
An undergraduate degree in Legal Secretarial is often the first step towards further postgraduate study. Postgraduate students will often specialize in their particular legal sub-disciplines, oftentimes while working as an assistant or junior lawyer for a local firm in their field.
Visit postgrad.ie for more information.
FAQ
What points do I need to study Legal Secretarial?
- Different courses and different colleges will have different entry requirements. It’s always best that you check with the individual higher education institution which is available on their websites. As a general rule Leaving Cert students should have a minimum of six subjects which should include: Two H5 (Higher Level) grades and Four O6 (Ordinary Level) grades or Four H7 (Higher Level) grades. Subjects must include Mathematics, English, Irish or another language.
Are there any particular qualities you need to study Legal Secretarial?
- Law students will need to enjoy problem solving, history, sociology and cultural studies, Additionally law students will need to be detail-oriented, focused, determined, and curious.
Where can I study Legal Secretarial?
- Explore your options here.
Did You Know?
- More than 220 million people are working as secretarial professionals in the USA alone!
- Administrative and secretarial services were recognized as an essential part of business as far back as 400 BC by Greek philosopher Plato!
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