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EDUCATION
CERTIFICATE AND DIPLOMA COURSES IN PROFESSIONAL LEGAL STUDIES WITH GRIFFITH COLLEGE
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The course aims to provide students with an academic grounding in the traditional core legal subjects, whilst also focusing on the practical application of core legal principles in the work environment. The study of legal practice and procedure is undertaken specifically with the role, duties and responsibilities of the Legal Executive in mind.
COURSE PROFILE
This course comprises elements of academic, vocational and skills training for those who wish to pursue a career as a Legal Executive.
A Certificate in Professional Legal Studies will be awarded upon successful completion of the first year. A Diploma in Professional Legal Studies is awarded upon successful completion of the second year in this programme.
Diploma graduates will be eligible for enrolment as Associate Members of the Irish Institute of Legal Executives. All those enrolled on this course are eligible to become Student Members of the Institute.
Please click here to open a 2010 Academic Calendar for the IILEX course.
STAGE I - CERTIFICATE IN PROFESSIONAL LEGAL STUDIES
Stage One of the Professional Legal Studies programme is the beginning of your academic career as a Legal Executive.
Students who wish to complete Stage One in an academic year will attend two evenings per week, Monday and Wednesday, with three and a half hours tuition from 6.00pm to 9.30pm each evening, or students can choose to undertake the course by completing one subject per week over two years. The course will commence on Wednesday the 6th of January 2010. The first week of term will also cover induction and meeting the lecturing and support team. Formal lectures will begin on Monday 11th of January 2010.
All six modules have specially devised manuals, which will lay out the syllabus for each module, past papers and set out the course material in easy to understand form – this then reduces the need for students to take notes during the formal lectures.
The six core subjects in stage one are:
Introduction to the legal System
Law of Torts
Contract Law
Civil Litigation, Procedure and Case Management
Criminal Law
Criminal Law: Practice and Procedure
The course can be undertaken in formal lectures or by online learning and the fees for stage one will be €2,000.
Timetable summary – delivered two evenings (Monday and Wednesdays) per week, over 22 weeks which will incorporate a mandatory induction on the first evening, beginning on 6th January 2010 and finishing on 3rd June 2010.
STAGE II - DIPLOMA IN PROFESSIONAL LEGAL STUDIES
Stage Two of the Professional Legal Studies course has been designed with input from past graduates, members of our legal academic team, from employers in legal practice and from our co-awarding body, The Irish Institute of Legal Executives.
On successful completion of Stage Two, students will be awarded with a Diploma in Professional Legal Studies by IILEX and Griffith College and are eligible to become Associate Members of the professional body. Graduates may then enter either the second year of the LLB law degree in Cork or Dublin.
Further details on progression routes will be provided by your IILEX Course Director and the IILEX Support Team during the term.
Stage Two will run similarly to Stage One in 2009, in that the course will be provided two nights per week, Tuesdays and Thursdays with tuition from 6pm to 9:30pm.
The five core subjects in stage two are:
Constitutional Law
Company Law
Land Law
Conveyancing
Family Law
Students will also be asked to choose between two elective subjects. The elective will be provided based on demand. The choices are as follows:
Employment Law
Mortgages
The course can be undertaken in formal lectures or by online learning and the fees for stage two will be €2,000.
For further information on the programme syllabus please click HERE.
Timetable summary – delivered over 22 weeks which incorporates a mandatory induction, each Tuesday and Thursday evening, beginning on 7th January 2010 and finishing on 3rd June 2010.
LOCATIONS / MODES OF STUDY
The course will be available in:
Dublin - Griffith College Dublin (please visit) www.gcd.ie/law
Cork - Griffith College Cork (please visit) www.gcc.ie/law
Online Learning
Students are entitled to use the extensive facilities available on campus including our library (with complementary access to Heinonline, Kluwer Law International, Justis, Business Source Premier, Lexis Nexis, Westlaw.ie & Westlaw UK), reading and study rooms.
All course material, lecture notes, are available to our students on Moodle also available on Moodle is the Homework Resource pack for each subject, Subject discussion board with your class, plus regional students discussion boards.
DOWNLOADS
Download an application form for Dublin, Cork, Galway and distance learning
Link to detailed course syllabus
You will require Adobe Acrobat Reader to download and print the application form above, click on the button below to download the reader:
To access details on continuing professional development please click HERE.
CONTACT DETAILS
For further information regarding the IILEX Course in Dublin, Cork & Distance Learning contact:
Simon Hogan
Course Administrator
Tel: (01) 415 0465
E-mail: simon.hogan@gcd.ie
Brian Foley
Consultant Director
Tel: (085) 148 3709
E-mail: brian.foley@gcd.ie
Cliodhna Dineen
Course Director
Tel: (021) 496 9150
Email: cliodhna.dineen@gcc.ie
Or you can visit the GCD IILEX or GCC IILEX course page on the website to find out more information or to apply online, rather than by one of the downloadable forms on this page, by clicking on this link: www.gcd.ie or www.gcc.ie
IILEX A CASE STUDY - DAWN HIGGINS
Legal Executive as a Career Choice
Dawn Higgins, Legal Executive in Naas, Co. Kildare, chose to become a Legal Executive to further her career in law. Becoming a Legal Executive has opened many career doors for Dawn and it is a decision that has been extremely beneficial to her.
What is a Legal Executive?
A Legal Executive is a person qualified by accumulated practical experience and/or academic credentials to offer more than secretarial or administrative assistance to a solicitor or other legal practitioner in the handling of client cases relating to conveyancing, probate, criminal, civil, family or other legal matters. Some Legal Executives are also Supreme Court-appointed commissioners for oaths or go on to become a solicitor. The Irish Institute of Legal Executives (IILEX) , is the only Irish governing body founded for the purpose and for the advancement of the interests of legal executives in Ireland.
Why Dawn chose to become a Legal Executive
Dawn began working as a receptionist at a law firm and after a year was promoted to legal secretary to a litigation partner. Dawn thoroughly enjoyed this position and quickly gained more responsibility. Dawn recognised she needed a qualification and chose to do a Diploma in Professional Legal Studies offered by Griffith College in order to become a Legal Executive.
Also, a huge benefit to a career as a Legal Executive is that after five years you can apply to the Law Society to become a solicitor, even if you do not hold a degree. This specific qualification also acts as a ‘passport’ to those who intend travelling to say the likes of Australia.
What it takes to become a Legal Executive
Dawn was working fulltime while studying to become a Legal Executive. She noted that ‘ I have to say it was well worth it though.’
‘A career as a Legal Executive is a highly rewarding job. If someone considering undertaking the course at Griffith College to become a Legal Executive and is not already working in the legal field I suggest that they speak to the team in Griffith College especially the Course Director of the programme’ Dawn advised.
The Work
‘I have many different responsibilities in my role as legal executive,’ she said. These responsibilities include preparation of pleadings for District Court and Circuit Court in relation to personal injury matters, road traffic accidents, debt collection matters, planning matters, environmental prosecutions and general litigation matters to name but a few. ‘Every day is different and there are always new challenges,’ Dawn commented. ‘In my role I have a lot of contact with people and consistently have to work to tight deadlines.’
How to become a Legal Executive
Dawn completed both the Certificate and then the Diploma in Professional Legal Studies at Griffith College. Courses are provided in Dublin, Cork, Galway and also by Distance Learning. Learning is flexible as student can join the course every six weeks.
The course developed by Griffith College and The Irish Institute of Legal Executives (IILEX) – which is the only Irish body for Legal Executives in Ireland, aims to provide students with an academic grounding in the traditional core legal subjects, whilst also focusing on the practical application of core legal principles in the work environment. Students can begin the course every six weeks as it is modular and as all lecturers are recorded, the course can be undertaken in class or form the comfort of your home or office.
Diploma graduates will be eligible for enrolment as Associate Members of the Irish Institute of Legal Executives.
Dawn says ‘Although I had not undertaken an educational course since my Leaving certificate, my experience at College was excellent and very very rewarding and I made some great friends too’.
For information on the IILEX Professional Legal Studies course visit www.gcc.ie/iilex
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