What You Learn in a Diploma of Legal Services

Training.gov.au describes the Diploma as preparation for:

“planning and carrying out work in a legal context in accordance with legislation, regulations and codes of practice relevant to the different jurisdictions.”

To better understand what this mean, we’ve written the basic explanation about the areas covered in the certificate below.

Understanding different laws

The law modules are presented as “electives” but are key to advancing as a paralegal. The areas covered include wills and probate, criminal, property, civil, family and corporation law. The diploma prepares students to work in a practice that covers any of these tenants. However, students won’t be learning how to present these matters in court. Rather they will understand the administration and documentation process.

Research skills

Without research, a case will quickly fall apart. It falls on the paralegal or the executive assistant to gather information from primary or secondary sources and verify facts. These jobs get done under the supervision or instruction of the lawyer. When the information is gathered it is presented as a report.

Compliance

This module prepares students for investigating and verifying that the work is being done in the ways it’s meant to be. There are internal and external rules of compliance in all areas of law, whether it be prepping a witness or executing a will. Compliance laws give both powers and limitations, and the diploma helps students understand what they are.

Etiquette

Image, and how you present yourself, is everything. The diploma covers how to maintain and nurture relationships you make both in law and business. The last thing anyone wants is to burn bridges. That gets tricky when sensitive legal matters are at stake.