ILSPA's Foundation Course Syllabuses
Overview
ILSPA’s Foundation level courses are suitable for people who would like to specialise in one particular area of law. We offer a range of subjects that can be studied online at home by distance learning. It is possible to start our courses at any time of year and learners can study at their own pace. There are no examinations for the courses and the learner is assessed by way of coursework. All the course material is accessed online through our website.
These courses are suitable for people who would like to gain knowledge of one area of law and learn about the legal secretarial procedures involved. The learner does not need to have any previous experience of law, but he or she is required to have secretarial skills.
The following subjects are available:
- Civil Litigation
- Land Law and Conveyancing Practice
- Wills, Probate and Administration Practice
- Family Law and Practice
CIVIL LITIGATION
The aim of this course is to enable the learner to gain an understanding of the main aspects of civil litigation as well as an understanding of how a litigation problem is dealt with. The learner will also develop his or her word processing skills and be able to apply them to a variety of legal forms and documents.
Through studying this course the learner will understand:
- The litigation procedure
- Procedural steps for a specified amount claim
- Procedural steps for an unspecified amount claim
- Procedural steps for a summary judgment where there is no defence
- Statements of case and the functions of each
- The importance of disclosure and the inspection of documents
- What is required when preparing for trial
- The enforcement of judgment
The learner will also be able to produce the following forms and documents:
- Claim form
- Particulars of claim
- Letter of claim
- Letter to the county court for the issue of a claim form
- Request for judgment in default for a specified amount
- Defence
- Letter serving a defence
- Request for further information
- Instructions to Counsel
LAND LAW AND CONVEYANCING
The aim of this course is to enable the learner to gain an understanding of land law and property ownership as well as the key steps in a conveyancing transaction. The learner will also develop his or her word processing skills and be able to apply them to a variety of legal forms and documents.
Through studying this course the learner will understand:
- Origins of land law
- Legal and equitable estates in land
- Interests in land
- Co-ownership
- Registered and unregistered titles
- Mortgages
- Land charges
- Adverse possession
- The conveyancing transaction
- The National Conveyancing Protocol
- Differences in procedures between registered and unregistered conveyancing
- Failure to complete
- A step-by-step guide to the conveyancing transaction
- Conveyancing terminology
- The importance of an exchange of contracts in a sale and a purchase
- The role of completion statements and cash accounts
The learner will also be able to produce the following forms and documents:
- Register of local land charges – requisition for search and official certificate of search
- Standard enquiries of local authority
- Coal mining search
- Searches of whole and part
- Land charges search
- Bankruptcy search
- Letter to the client requesting completion of a seller’s property information form
- Letter to the solicitor submitting preliminary enquiries
- Draft Deed of Covenant
- Engrossed Deed of Covenant
- Letter to Client enclosing Deed of Covenant
- Transfer of whole
- Engrossed lease
- Draft licence to assign
- Draft assignment
WILLS, PROBATE AND ADMINISTRATION
The aim of this course is to enable the learner to gain an understanding of the law and practice relating to the estate, rights and charges a person leaves after his or her death. It includes matters relating to wills and the administration of an estate. The learner will also develop his or her word processing skills and be able to apply them to a variety of legal forms and documents.
Through studying this course the learner will understand:
- Testate, intestate and partial intestacy
- Grants of Representation
- Entitlement to act as an Administrator under intestacy
- Powers and duties of Personal Representatives
- Procedural steps for obtaining a Grant of Probate
- Procedural steps for obtaining a Grant of Letters of Administration
- An affidavit of due execution and of plight and condition
- Key requirements of a valid Will
- Proper execution of a Will
- Testamentary dispositions
- Revocation
- Rectification of a Will
- Intestacy
- The administration of estates
The learner will also be able to produce the following forms and documents:
- Draft Will
- Engrossed Will
- Grant of Probate Application
- Letter to a client sending the application for signing
- Trust Deed
- Various letters in connection with the winding up of an estate
FAMILY LAW AND PRACTICE
The aim of this course is to enable the learner to gain an understanding of marriage and civil partnerships, and the procedure for a divorce or dissolution. The learner will understand how the breakdown of relationships affects children of the union and also the problems ancillary to such a breakdown, such as financial and property disputes. The learner will also develop his or her word processing skills and be able to apply them to a variety of legal forms and documents.
Through studying this course the learner will understand:
- Marriage
- Civil Partnerships
- Divorce
- Dissolution of a Civil Partnership
- Divorce / Civil Partnership Dissolution Procedure
- Financial Remedy Orders
- Pre- Nuptial Agreements and Matrimonial Matters before Magistrates
- Child or Children Orders
The learner will also be able to produce the following forms and documents:
- Client Statement
- Client Information Form
- Divorce Application
- Application for a Conditional Order
- Application to Make a Conditional Order Final
Course Material
The Student area of our website includes everything the learner needs for the course. Once enrolled, the learner will be able to access the course material, coursework and Student resources. ILSPA's courses are complete in themselves and the learner does not need to purchase any textbooks.
Coursework
There are no examinations for our Foundation courses. The learner is assessed through coursework which consists of a multiple-choice achievement test and practical assessments.
The multiple-choice achievement test gives the learner the ability to show his or her understanding of the subject studied. The practical assessments involve the production of legal forms and documents. Full instructions and examples are provided in the course material to enable the learner to complete the coursework. Through completing the assessments, the learner will be able to show how well he or she is able to follow instructions and apply word processing skills to a variety of legal documents.
Course Results
The learner will be given a percentage for his or her achievement test and practical assessments. An average percentage is taken from these results and the following grades are awarded for the overall result:
Pass: 80% to 89%
Merit: 90% to 94%
Distinction: 95% to 100%
Upon passing the course, the learner will be awarded a Foundation Certificate in his or her area of study. If the learner fails any part of the course, he or she will be given the opportunity to redo it once.
Help and Support
We provide the learner with all the help that is needed to complete the course. Our Course Assessor and the ILSPA team will be happy to answer any queries that he or she has by telephone or email.
If you have any queries about our syllabus, please telephone us on 0207 1009210 or email us at info@institutelegalsecretaries.com.
