This qualification addresses the skills and knowledge required of individuals undertaking legal secretarial or paralegal type duties in a legal environment.
To achieve a Certificate IV in Legal Services a total of 10 units of competency must be completed. Students must complete 6 prescribed core subjects*, plus any 4 prescribed elective subjects (MMLC offers 6 electives to choose from).
*As per the packaging rules, 6 subjects from BSB31007 Certificate III in Business Administration (Legal) are considered pre-requisites. If a student has not achieved these in earlier study or work experience they must be undertaken as part of this certificate, in addition to the prescribed core and elective units.
The prerequisite 6 units from BSB31007 Certificate III in Business Administration (Legal) are as follows:
| UNITS OF COMPETENCY | HOURS |
|---|---|
BSBITU307A Develop keyboarding speed and accuracyLearning Resource required: Develop keyboarding speed and accuracy |
50 |
BSBOHS201A Participate in OHS processesLearning Resource required: Participate in OHS processes |
20 |
BSBLEG304A Apply the principles of confidentiality and security within the legal environment. |
20 |
BSBLEG305A Use legal terminology in order to carry out tasks. |
40 |
BSBLEG306A Maintain records for time and disbursements in a legal practice. |
40 |
BSBLEG301A Apply knowledge of the legal system to complete tasks. |
80 |
Students are required to complete 6 core units from Certificate IV in Legal Services as follows:
| UNITS OF COMPETENCY | HOURS |
|---|---|
BSBLEG401A Prepare and produce complex legal documents.This unit covers using a range of advanced functions within Microsoft Word to produce complex documents. Learning Resource required: Be Competent in Complex Legal Documents |
80 |
BSBRES403A Research legal processes.This unit of competency will help you develop the skills and knowledge required to research the legal systems and jurisdictions within Australia. |
50 |
BSBLEG401A Provide non‑legal advice.This unit covers the supervised provision of non‑legal advice in response to enquiries from non‑clients or potential clients or other parties. Learning Resource required: Developing Office Skills and Workbook |
50 |
BSBLEG410A Interact with other parties.This unit covers organising information to facilitate action, contacting relevant parties on behalf of the instructing legal practitioner and coordinating information exchange between parties. Learning Resource required: Developing Office Skills and Workbook |
30 |
BSBLEG412A Interpret and apply legislationThis unit of competency will help you develop the skills and knowledge required to research the various legal systems and jurisdictions in Australia, and to apply appropriate legislation to the workplace. |
120 |
BSBRES402A Research, locate and provide legal and other information in response to requests.This unit covers researching, locating and providing information in response to a request so that the client’s needs are met. This may involve combining and analysing information from a number of sources before composing a report for the client. |
60 |
Students must also complete 4 electives from the list below:
| UNITS OF COMPETENCY | HOURS |
|---|---|
BSBLEG403A Maintain trust accounts.This unit covers the maintenance of trust monies related to specific files, under the instruction of a legal practitioner. |
50 |
BSBLEG404A Provide support in Property Law matters. This unit covers the preparation of documents that support a qualified legal practitioner working in the area of property law. |
60 |
BSBLEG405A Provide support in Family Law matters.This unit covers the preparation of documents, arrangement of activities in relation to dissolution of marriage, property settlement, maintenance, contact and residence, counselling mediation and the appeals process. Learning Resource required: Legal Studies for Queensland, Volume 2 |
60 |
BSBLEG406A Provide support in Criminal Law matters.This unit covers the preparation of documents in a Criminal Law matter. It involves researching case history and assisting the instructing legal practitioner to prepare for the trial. Learning Resource required: Legal Studies for Queensland, Volume 1 |
60 |
BSBLEG407A Provide support in Commercial Law matters.This unit covers the preparation of documentation involved in incorporation, charges and the sale of shelf companies. It is also addresses the acquisition of substantive knowledge of corporations law. |
60 |
FNSCONV501B Take instructions in relation to a transaction.This Unit describes the process of taking instructions for the transactions of sale or transfer of property or land. Learning Resource required: Legal Studies for Queensland, Volume1 and 2 |
50 |
FNSCONV502B Prepare and/or analyse and execute documents. This Unit describes how to prepare and present documents in the practice of conveyancing. |
40 |
Note: The hours listed above are the nominal hours it might take for a student to complete each unit of competency. This includes undertaking activities within Workbooks, reading the additional learning resources, undertaking research and completing assessments.
Upon successful completion of assessments for each unit of competency a Statement of Attainment will be awarded to the student. Once all assessments for the core and elective units have been successfully completed a student will be awarded the Certificate IV in Legal Services.
MMLC has developed individual Workbooks for each unit of competency within Certificate IV in Legal Services. All Workbooks contain a range of readings and learning activities. It is very important that students complete these readings and learning activities. They are designed to help students understand the topic and prepare them for the assessments.
To complete this qualification, students will need to purchase the following learning resources:
These learning resources are available to purchase from MMLC. Full payment is due on delivery. Students are liable for GST and any postage/handling fees associated with the purchase.
There are assessment tasks that are required to be completed for each unit of competency.
Assessments provide evidence that a student has obtained the necessary skills and knowledge within each unit of competency.
An Assessment Guide accompanies each Workbook. Assessments should be completed once a student has completed a Workbook. These assessments should then be submitted to MMLC’s Learning Manager for marking.
After successfully completing this qualification students will be able to demonstrate the skills and experience necessary for employment as a legal administration assistant, legal secretary or paralegal in a legal firm or legal environment. MMLC works closely with Melissa Mahoney Recruitment who can assist students who are studying or who have completed the qualification to gain employment within the legal industry.
Students who have obtained the Certificate IV in Legal Services are eligible to commence the Diploma of Business (Legal Services).
Students can also use some of the units of competency within Certificate IV in Legal Services as recognition of prior learning (RPL) if they choose to study other qualifications under the Business Services Training Packages framework.
The core subjects from Certificate III in Business Administration (Legal) and the successful completion of Year 10 English and Mathematics are the pre-requisites for acceptance into this qualification.
If you have skills and knowledge which have been acquired through previous study, informal or formal learning or from work and/or life experience you may be eligible for recognition of prior learning.
For students undertaking the full qualification, including the 6 pre-requisites from Certificate III in Business Administration (Legal) the fees are:
| Certificate III in Business Administration (Legal) prerequisite units of competency | $1,000.00* |
| Certificate IV in Legal Services | $4,000.00* |
| Learning resources (books) | At cost** |
For students undertaking the full qualification without the pre-requisites from Certificate III in Business Administration (Legal) the fees are:
| Certificate IV in Legal Services | $4,000.00* |
| Learning resources (books) | At cost** |
Students also have the option to enroll into individual units of competency rather than enroll into the full qualification. This gives students the option to pace their study, study only those units of competency that they are interested in or study only the units they require for their own career progression.
| Core units | $400.00* |
| Elective units | $700.00* |
*Tuition fees do not attract GST.
**To ensure costs of all learning resources are current, prices are advised of upon application. GST plus any postage and handling fees associated with their purchase are passed onto the student.
