Term Effective:
Fall 2010
The requirements for this program of study are effective beginning the semester shown above. If you began working on this program before the effective semester, you may not be affected by the changes. Consult with the program contact person or the department chair to determine your eligibility to complete the program under previous requirements.
Description:
The Legal Office Support Skills Certificate prepares the student to seek employment as clerical support staff in legal-related offices. In addition to the professional law office staff, legal-related offices seek employees who can assist the legal secretary, paralegals, attorneys, and others to complete office tasks. These are entry-level positions in law offices that require employees to have some understanding of the field of law. The titles for these positions will vary. Individuals should compare the skill sets obtained in the courses with the job descriptions. Students will be required to complete units in legal procedures so that they are familiar with law office practices. Legal procedure courses are taught by professionals currently working in the legal field. In addition, they will receive training in 21st Century workforce skills emphasizing communication, teamwork, project management, problem-solving, and systems development.
The Legal Office Support Skills Certificate is the first level of the Legal Office program. Students who complete the Legal Office Support Skills Certificate will have fulfilled a portion of the Legal Office Specialist Certificate of Achievement.
Employers generally report that it is moderately difficult to find inexperienced but qualified applicants and very difficult to find qualified applicants with prior experience. This indicates a good outlook for job seekers without prior experience, and a very good outlook for those who are fully experienced. Both Sonoma County Legal Secretaries Association and Legal Secretaries Incorporated http://www.lsi.org offer scholarships to students pursuing careers in this occupational area.
Students interested in a suggested order for taking classes in this program, can view the recommended course sequence. More information about the Business Office Technology programs can be found at the Business Office Technology website.
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