Diploma in Legal Skills for Legal Executives

Programme structure and approach to learning

This diploma will equip legal executives, paralegals, secretaries and other legal staff with the practical legal skills, foundational knowledge and competencies essential to support solicitors in their work. The diploma’s practical focus and industry relevance makes it attractive for staff and employers seeking skilled legal staff.

The course has been designed to give students a greater understanding of the key legal specialisations they are likely to encounter in legal firms and in-house with a strong emphasis on practical skills development. Lecturers will emphasise the practical aspects of working in a legal office, highlight the key documents that legal staff deal with on a day-to-day basis and set out the steps involved in various core types of legal transactions. The course will also look at some of the main issues which legal staff encounter while working in a legal office, such as data protection issues, cyber risks and anti-money laundering. Finally, the diploma will help students to develop their knowledge of the business of law and how to run a legal office.

Modules

The programme is based on the following module scheme and covers key themes as listed below:

Module 1: Introduction to the Irish Legal System

• Sources of Law

• Irish Courts and the Court Structure

• The role of solicitors and barristers

• The role of the Law Society of Ireland

Module 2: Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution

• Injuries Resolution Board

• Personal injury litigation – taking a case to court

• Personal injury litigation – preparing for court

• Preparing a brief

• Dealing with Court offices

• Criminal litigation and practice

• Introduction to ADR

Module 3: Conveyancing

• Introduction to conveyancing

• Steps in a conveyancing transaction

• Schedule of documents, title deeds

• Landlord and tenant law

Module 4: Employment Law

• Contract of Employment

• Role of the WRC

• Bringing a claim

Module 5: Company Law

• Introduction to company structures

• Documents for Company formations/charges

• Mergers and Acquisitions

Module 6: Option A* - Wills and Probate; Family Law

• Making a will

• The Probate application

• Separation, divorce, cohabitation

• Custody and access

• Domestic violence

Module 6: Option B* - Finance and Asset Management

• Commercial lending

• Commercial property leasing

• Aviation leasing

Module 7: Compliance and the Regulatory Landscape

• Data Protection at work

• Cyber awareness – common pitfalls and tips

• Artificial Intelligence – uses and limitations

• Anti-Money Laundering

Module 8: Running a Legal Office and Legal Skills

• Letters of engagement, section 150 letters, time recording, billing, accounting for law firms, maintaining records and registers

• Social media and marketing, the role of the office manager

• Verbal and written communication skills

• Note taking

Module 9: Supporting the Solicitor

• Legal Research

• Drafting clear and concise legal documents

• Use of technology, databases and case management software

• Discovery

Module 10: Client Care

• Client onboarding and interviewing

• Taking instructions and attendances

• Professional etiquette, boundaries and client care

• Confidentiality

• Conflict of interest

• File set up, management and case planning

• Coming off the record

Module 11: Applications, Filings and Returns

• First registration and other Tailte Éireann applications

• eStamping returns

Module 12: Other Areas of Law

• Debt collection

• New houses

• Mediation

Module 13: Skills Development Workshop

• Proofreading skills

• Time management and prioritising workload

• Business writing skills

• Case studies and role plays

• Simulated exercises

• Peer-to-peer discussion forum

*Participants may elect to attend option A or option B of Module 6, or may attend both options.

Workshops

Workshops are interactive sessions that focus on group information-sharing and are designed to revise all modules covered to date and to consolidate the student’s knowledge.