Working in Legal Services can be exciting and rewarding. Whether you’d like to work for a legal practice or be employed in the justice system, this industry offers numerous opportunities for career advancement. You might choose to specialise in a particular area of legal services such as criminal law, family law or corporation law, or you might like to work for a community organisation or for a courthouse. A career in Legal Services can often be demanding, but you may get the chance to help people during a challenging time.
If you’re interested in a Legal Services career, you’ll need to be organised and have excellent attention to detail. You’ll need to be able to handle several tasks at one time and be able to manage your time well. Working in Legal Services requires good communication skills as you’ll be liaising with clients, colleagues and other relevant stakeholders. It’s important that you can prioritise your tasks and work to strict deadlines.
If a career in Legal Services interests you, the following courses can help you get started:
Certificate III in Business Administration (Legal)
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Certificate III in Business Administration (Legal) will give you the administrative skills you’ll need to work effectively in a legal environment. This course covers basic office skills such as keyboarding but also develops your skills with legal administration, payroll and using office technologies.
Certificate IV in Legal Services
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Certificate IV in Legal Services is an excellent first step towards an administrative role in the legal industry. You’ll develop the skills to prepare legal documents and apply the various principles of contract law. You’ll explore the Australian legal system and be able to apply its principles to a range of situations.
Diploma of Legal Services
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Diploma of Legal Services is an ideal qualification for a range of administrative roles in a legal setting. The course looks into various aspects of the Australian legal system and how it applies to administrative work. You’ll be able to specialise in an area of law that interests you, including property law, corporation law, family law and criminal law.
A Legal Services qualification could lead to a range of careers including the following job roles:
Paralegal
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Paralegal performs a range of supportive duties in a legal practitioner’s office. You may assist colleagues with administrative tasks or help to prepare legal documents. Paralegals often have to meet with clients or witnesses to gather statements or collect relevant information and documents.
Legal Administrator
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Legal Administrator undertakes administrative duties in a legal environment. You might work for a legal practice or be part of the team at a courthouse. Legal Administrators provide support to lawyers, paralegals and other staff and might complete duties such as attending to correspondence or filing client documents.
Legal Secretary
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Legal Secretary performs secretarial duties at a courthouse or legal practice. You might answer phone calls, greet clients and attend to correspondence. You might also do other administrative tasks such as filing, preparing paperwork, transcribing interviews and scheduling meetings.
Getting started
If you’d like to study a course in Legal Services, it’s important you compare course providers before you enrol. There is often some variation in the way providers deliver their courses, so find out information like course duration, costs, any prerequisites and the content the course will cover. Once you have all the details, you can compare information and find the right course for your needs.