Advanced Diploma of Legal Practice 22565VIC

Program Overview

The Advanced Diploma of Legal Practice equips individuals with comprehensive legal knowledge and practical skills to excel as paraprofessionals in the legal industry. Through a combination of core and elective units, students gain a deep understanding of legal concepts, research techniques, and legal drafting. Graduates are prepared for a wide range of paraprofessional roles in law firms, government departments, and other legal organizations. The program also provides a pathway to further legal studies, such as a Bachelor of Laws degree.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

• Overview: The Advanced Diploma of Legal Practice equips individuals to embark on a paraprofessional career in the legal practice industry.
It provides comprehensive training in the operations of modern legal offices, equipping graduates with the necessary skills to provide advice on legal services to potential clients, practice in legal areas of interest, manage legal practice operations resources, interpret legislation, and produce complex legal documents. Additionally, students develop a foundation in family law, property law, contract law, commercial law, criminal law, and conveyancing.
• Objectives: The program's primary objective is to prepare graduates to excel as paraprofessionals in legal environments.
It aims to equip them with a deep understanding of various legal areas and practical skills essential for supporting legal practitioners and effectively contributing to legal proceedings. Graduates will be proficient in research techniques, legal analysis, legal drafting, and administrative tasks central to paralegal roles.
• Program Description: This 1.5-year full-time (or part-time) program comprises eleven (11) core units and ten (10) elective units.
The core units lay a solid foundation in legal concepts, research, analysis, and practical applications, while the electives allow students to specialize in areas of their interest or relevance to their career goals. The coursework is designed to develop a comprehensive understanding of the legal system, legal processes, and ethical considerations in legal practice. Graduates are equipped to perform a range of paralegal tasks under the supervision of legal practitioners and contribute effectively to the efficient functioning of legal organizations.

Outline:

Core Units:

• Analyze the Australian legal process and apply to legal support work
• Research and apply legal research method
• Analyse and apply law of contract
• Analyse and apply law of torts
• Determine appropriate aspects of commercial law for application to legal support work
• Apply property law principles and concepts
• Apply Conveyancing process
• Analyse and apply wills, probate and administration procedures
• Analyse and apply civil procedure
• Analyze and apply concepts and principles of criminal law in a support context
• Practice in a legal environment

Group A Law Elective Units:

• Define and evaluate law of evidence
• Research the application of administrative law
• Research the application of intellectual property and business law
• Research the application of corporations law
• Evaluate the concepts and principles of family law

Group B General Elective Units

• Write complex documents

Assessment:

The assessment methods employed in the program are designed to evaluate students' understanding of legal concepts, research skills, analytical abilities, and practical competencies. Assessment tasks may include:

• Assignments: Students will complete written assignments that require them to research legal issues, analyze cases, draft legal documents, and demonstrate their knowledge of legal principles.
• Case Studies: Students may be presented with real-world legal scenarios and asked to apply their legal knowledge and skills to provide solutions or recommendations.
• Exams: Exams may be used to assess students' understanding of core legal concepts, theories, and principles.
Exams may be in the form of multiple-choice questions, short-answer questions, or essays.
• Practical Exercises: Students will engage in practical exercises to demonstrate their ability to perform legal tasks, such as legal research, document drafting, and client communication.
These exercises may be conducted individually or in groups.
• Presentations: Students may be required to give presentations on legal topics to demonstrate their research skills, analytical abilities, and communication skills.

Teaching:

The program is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, workshops, and practical exercises.

• Lectures: Lectures provide students with a comprehensive overview of legal concepts, principles, and theories.
• Tutorials: Tutorials are smaller group sessions where students can engage in discussions, ask questions, and receive personalized guidance from instructors.
• Workshops: Workshops provide students with opportunities to apply their legal knowledge to practical scenarios and develop their research, analytical, and drafting skills.
• Practical Exercises: Practical exercises allow students to engage in hands-on legal tasks under the supervision of experienced instructors.
These exercises help students develop the practical skills essential for paralegal roles.
• Faculty: The program is taught by experienced legal professionals with expertise in their respective fields.
Faculty members are actively involved in legal practice and research, bringing their real-world knowledge and insights into the classroom.

Careers:

Graduates of the Advanced Diploma of Legal Practice are well-positioned for a wide range of paraprofessional careers in the legal industry. They can pursue roles in law firms, government departments, legal aid organizations, financial institutions, corporations, and court registries. Graduates may find employment as law clerks, legal probate clerks, conveyance clerks, corporate law clerks, family law assistants, legal research assistants, trainee court registrars, and paralegals. Furthermore, this qualification provides a pathway to pursue a Bachelor of Laws degree, enabling graduates to advance their careers and become practicing lawyers.