The Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs
Dedicated to your career every step of the way
Legal Secretaries Diploma Course
The Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs offers courses which are recognised by law firms and legal recruiters throughout the UK and around the world. ILSPA's Legal Secretaries Diploma course will provide you with the legal knowledge and practical skills you need to be a competent Legal Secretary.
Whether you want to become a Legal Secretary, you are an experienced Legal Secretary who wants to gain a formal qualification, or you are a law graduate who wants to gain the practical skills required to work in the legal profession, our Legal Secretary course is suitable for you. We have a wide range of Students of all ages, many nationalities and varying levels of experience. Please note that you do not need any experience to study with us.
There are three study method options to choose from. You can study online by distance learning, through our live online classes or you can attend our evening classes at Regent's University in London.
Why study a Legal Secretary course with ILSPA?
- Become a competent and qualified Legal Secretary
- Gain a recognised qualification
- Acquire knowledge of various areas of law
- Learn legal document production and how to complete legal forms
- Develop your word processing skills
- Receive help and support with your coursework
- Receive CV help and guidance to secure employment if looking for work
- Have access to a wealth of study and career resources
- Receive one year's FREE Membership of the Institute
- Receive an exclusive discount on the Royal Courts of Justice tours
- Gain eligibility for a TOTUM PRO Student discount card (UK Students)
- ILSPA is recommended by the UK Government's National Careers Service
Course content
ILSPA's Legal Secretaries Diploma course is equivalent to a level 3 qualification. It is designed to provide you with legal knowledge and practical skills to help you secure employment or advance your existing career. You will learn general legal procedures, key Legal Secretary skills and various areas of law. You will also advance your word processing skills through legal document production, completing legal forms and typing professional correspondence. The units offered are as follows:
- General Legal Procedures
- Key Legal Secretary Skills
- The English Legal System
- Civil Litigation
- Corporate and Commercial Law
- Criminal Law
- Family Law
- Land Law and Conveyancing
- Law of Contract and Tort
- Wills, Probate and Administration
Distance learning Students have the opportunity to choose the areas of law they would like to study, whilst class Students study set units. Both methods of study result in the same qualification.
Please take a look at the course syllabus for information on each unit.
Course Syllabus
View ILSPA's Legal Secretaries Diploma Syllabus here:
Study Method Options
Online Distance Learning
You can start our online distance learning course at any time and have the flexibility of studying at your own pace. On average, Students complete it within 3-6 months but it can be completed in less time. The more time you dedicate to the course, the sooner you will achieve your qualification. You have up to one year to submit your coursework.
Distance Learners have the benefit of being able to choose which legal subjects they would like to study. There are three mandatory core units, then you are free to choose the subjects which are the most appealing or suitable for you.
After enrolment, you will be able to login to our Student and Member area to access your study material, coursework and Student resources. You can then work through each unit in your own time. There are no examinations as you are assessed through the coursework which accompanies each unit.
During your studies, you have access to help and support from our team through our online portal. We will assist you with your coursework throughout your studies.
Live Online Classes
Our live online classes take place one evening a week for 12 weeks via Zoom. You will be taught about law and legal procedures, be able to interact with your tutor and connect with a group of Students. The lessons are recorded and you will be sent the recordings after each class to support your learning. This is useful for those who are unable to attend every lesson.
Class Students are required to study set subjects and receive support and encouragement from their tutor. Students regularly provide us with feedback on how much they have enjoyed the classes and have found our tutors to be friendly and helpful. As well as receiving support from your tutor, you can contact our team for help with your coursework through our online portal.
Alongside attending classes, you will need to set aside time to study and complete the online coursework each week. Your study material, coursework and Student resources will be available through the Student and Member area of our website, which you will have access to once enrolled. You will have up to one year to submit your coursework.
Regent's University Classes
Our evening classes take place at Regent's University in London. The university is situated in the beautiful surroundings of Regent's Park and is about a 5 minute walk from Baker Street tube station. The classes run one evening a week for 12 weeks.
Class Students will be taught set subjects and benefit from having in person tuition and the opportunity to connect with other Students. Students often provide us with feedback on how much they have enjoyed the classes and being taught by our tutors, who bring law to life!
Alongside attending classes, you will need to set aside time to study and complete the online coursework each week. Your study material, coursework and Student resources will be available through the Student and Member area of our website, which you will have access to once enrolled. There is no use of computers in class. You will have up to one year to submit your coursework.
As well as receiving support from your tutor, you can contact our team for help with your coursework through our online portal.
Enquiries for our evening classes must be made directly through us rather than the university.
Coursework and Assessment
Whether you study via distance learning or attend our classes, ILSPA's Legal Secretaries Diploma course material and coursework is accessed through the Student and Member area of our website. You will be given your login details to this when you enrol. There are no examinations and you will be assessed through the online coursework. The coursework consists of online multiple-choice achievement tests at the end of each unit as well as practical assessments or assignments, depending on the subjects studied.
The multiple-choice achievement tests will ask you questions about the areas you study and enable you to show your understanding of each unit. The practical assessments involve the production of legal forms, documents and letters. Through completing the assessments, you will be able to show how well you are able to follow instructions, apply word processing skills to a variety of legal documents, forms and letters, and become competent in Legal Secretary work. The assignments are in the form of essay or direct questions. The purpose of these are to test your understanding of a subject as well as apply the knowledge you have gained to a real-life scenario and explain it in practice. Everything is submitted online through our learning management system.
You do not need to have any experience to complete the coursework. Full instructions and examples are provided in the course material to enable you to complete it. If you need any help, you can contact our team through our online portal. We are here to support you throughout your studies.
You will receive a grade for each piece of work you submit. When you complete the course, an average percentage is taken from your results and you will be awarded a pass, merit or distinction, depending on the standard of your work. If you fail any part of the course, you will be given the opportunity to retake it once. There are no additional fees for this.
When you pass all the units included in the course, you will be awarded ILSPA’s Legal Secretaries Diploma Certificate. Our pass rate is very high with 95% of Students achieving the qualification after completing the course.
Suitable Learners
We have a wide range of Students - from those who have no previous experience in law to experienced Legal Secretaries who want to gain a formal qualification. We also have law graduates who study our course to gain practical skills and get their foot in the door. Our course is suitable for:
- Those with no experience who want to start a career as a Legal Secretary
- Experienced Legal Secretaries who want to advance their skills and gain a formal qualification
- Law graduates who want to gain the practical skills required to work in the legal profession
Entry Requirements
There are no entry requirements for the course, however, we recommend that you have a good typing speed, computer literacy, an understanding of Microsoft Word, and a good standard of spoken and written English.
If you do not have these skills, you can receive a 50% discount on Microsoft Office courses once becoming a Student. We can also recommend a free online typing course, which is studied by thousands of Students wanting to improve their speed and accuracy. Please contact us for details.
Student Terms and Conditions
Please read our terms and conditions below.
Student Terms and Conditions
