Pitman Training Legal Secretarial Diploma

Core Subjects

Keyboard Skills
Learn how to touch type accurately, using the correct keyboard technique. This will help to reduce the risk of RSI (repetitive strain injury).

Effective Business Communication
Learn to communicate effectively in business - via letter, email, telephone and personal presentations. This will cover correct use of grammar, punctuation, principles of letter writing (using positive words and avoiding jargon) etiquette and different types of letters e.g. complaints, apologies, thank you and circular. It also includes CV writing.

Microsoft Word Proficient
Introductory and intermediate word processing skills to a good employable standard. This course will enable you to create professional looking documents, produce tables, and insert pictures and much more.

Microsoft Word Expert
Learn advanced word processing skills including mailmerge, creating graphs, creating and running macros, creating an index and table of contents to mention just a few.

Audio Transcription
Learn to type from audio dictation a variety of correspondence e.g. memo, reports and letters.

Keyboard Speed Development
Develop your typing speed to improve productivity using graded copying exercises and timed dictations. A number of stages are available, taking you up to a speed of 70wpm.

Microsoft Outlook
Learn how to share, manage and schedule information electronically. Covers the use of email, electronic calendar, scheduling meetings and appointments, creating and assigning tasks, creating address lists.

Microsoft PowerPoint
Gain competency in creating slide presentations. Areas covered include formatting, inserting tables, pictures, sound, hyper links, applying transition and timing effects for a slide show.

Three Legal Secretarial Modules
Your Course Advisor will help you choose the three most suitable legal modules from the list below.

Recommended Electives - choose 2

Legal Module – Introductory
Gain an introduction to the work, responsibilities, practice and structure of a legal office including rules and guidelines, terminology, legal staff, court system, documentation and procedures for incoming and outgoing post.

Legal Module – Conveyancing
Gain an introduction to the work, responsibilities, practice and structure of a conveyancing department including all documents relating to pre-exchange, pre-completion and post-completion of sale.

Legal Module – Wills and Probate
Gain an introduction to the work, responsibilities, practice and structure of a Wills and Probate department including preparing a will, codicils, enduring power of attorney, deed of revocation, grant of probate and distribution of an estate.

Legal Module – Criminal Law
Gain an introduction to the work, responsibilities, practice and structure of a Criminal Law department including categories of offence, attendance notes, statements of accused, witness statements, instructions to counsel and legal aid claims forms.

Legal Module – Company Law
Gain an introduction to Company Law including instruction forms, Companies House, Memorandum and Articles of Association, company meetings and annual returns.

Legal Module – Family Law
Gain an introduction to the work, responsibilities, practice and structure of a Family Law department including basic divorce procedure, instruction form, the petition, statement of arrangements for children, the acknowledgement of service and decree nisi and absolute.

Legal Module –Civil Litigation
Gain an introduction to the work, responsibilities, practice and structure of a Civil Litigation department including civil law, instruction form for debt collection, the claim form, particulars of claim, certificate of service, proceedings in the High Court and instruction form for personal injury.

Introduction to Computers
Learn basic computer skills from using a mouse to file management; from the internet to email and from word processing skills to spreadsheets by studying either our Windows course or our PC Basics course.

Internet Skills
Learn to use the internet, become familiar with Internet Explorer, learn search techniques and how to send an email using Outlook Express.

Microsoft Access
Develop database skills from initial design stage to running reports and queries.

Microsoft Excel Proficient
This course provides Introductory and intermediate spreadsheet skills to a good employable standard. It will enable you to create a spreadsheet, entering text, numbers and formulas and creating charts.

Create, Manage and Integrate Files
Learn how to integrate files between applications and understand the more complex
areas of file relationships and management