No, you cannot be a Legal Secretary without Matric. To become a Legal Secretary you can study the NATED Legal Secretary Programme which requires you to have the following qualifications:
- Matric Certificate – National Senior Certificate or Amended Senior Certificate
- Be at least 16 or older to apply
- Study through distance learning
- Understand, read and write English
What Is NATED Legal Secretary?
NATED (National Accredited Technical Education Diploma) Legal Secretary is a course of study which give students the skills and knowledge of how to work in a legal office. NATED Courses are a product of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). In addition to theory, the courses have a practical component. NATED Courses are also known as National Qualifications.
The NATED Legal Secretary Programme courses build on each other. This means that you cannot move on to the next course before you finish the previous one. This Programme consists of the following courses:
Legal Secretary NATED N4 National Certificate
Legal Secretary: NATED N4 National Certificate Course is the first course you will complete in our NATED Legal Secretary Programme. This course will introduce you to the following subjects:
- Office Practice N4
- Information Processing N4
- Communication N4
- Mercantile Law N4
Legal Secretary NATED N5 National Certificate
Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate Course is the second course you will complete in our Legal Secretary Programme. The Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate prepares you for the Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Certificate. Here are the subjects that you will study:
- Office Practice N5
- Communication N5
- Information Processing N5
- Legal Practice N5
Legal Secretary NATED N6 National Certificate
Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Certificate is the last theoretical course in the NATED Legal Secretary Programme. This course will provide you with a broader understanding of Legal Secretary. Here are the subjects that you will study:
- Office Practice N6
- Legal Practice N6
- Information Processing N6
- Mercantile Law N5
Legal Secretary NATED N6 National Diploma
The Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Diploma is the last qualification that you will complete in the NATED Legal Secretary Programme. You will complete 18 months of work experience. To gain entry, you have to complete the following courses:
When Are The Practicals For The NATED Course Done?
If you are aiming for the Legal Secretary: NATED National Diploma, here are your options for the practical work experience:
- Perform practical work at the same time that you are studying your theory of the following:
- This means that you will complete the theory and the practicals at the same time. This will take you six months to complete one course.
- Perform your practical work soon after you complete the following:
- This means that you will do theory in 6 months and thereafter that practical in another 6 months. This will take you 12 months to complete each course.
- Perform your practicals after completing only the theory of the following:
- This means that you will do the theory for all the courses in 18 months and thereafter perform your practicals for 18 months
How Do The Practicals Work?
Here is how you will do the practicals upon successful completion of Legal Secretary NATED N6 National Certificate:
- Find a workplace where you can perform the practicals:
- At your workplace
- Find an attachment
- Register on the iWIL website
- Matric College will send you a logbook that you must complete throughout your work experience. This logbook will consist of the elements of what you will need to accomplish at the place that you are working.
- Your work Manager must sign off the logbook to show that you completed the tasks in the logbook that you were supposed to complete
- Upon completion, you will end the logbook back to Matric College
- Matric College will send your logbook to the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) for assessment
- Once the DHET has approved your logbook, you will receive your send your Legal Secretary NATED N6 National Diploma
Is A NATED Legal Secretary A Good Course?
The NATED Legal Secretary Course is a good course. Here is why:
- It is a career-focused course
- It is accredited – This course is accredited with the following professional bodies:
- It offers practical skills – The practical element in the course prepares students for employment. Employers do not have to spend time equipping new employees with practical skills
- Prepares you for work – Since there is a practical element, students are work-ready
- Nationally recognised – NATED Courses are also referred to as National Qualifications. This is because they were designed by the Department of Higher Education and Training
What Does A Legal Secretary Do?
Here are some of the duties of a Legal Secretary:
- Provide support to one or more lawyers
- Communicate with witnesses, clients, colleagues and partners
- Greet visitors and perform an initial screening of clients
- Typing correspondences
- Type case briefs contract’s and testimony
- Conduct thorough documentary research
- File various legal documents such as appeals, motions or petitions
- Preserve an updated case record system
- Answer phone calls and take messages
- Redirecting phone calls when appropriate
- Maintain and update inventories of contact details
- Facilitate the meetings and provide timely reminders
What Is A Legal Secretary's Salary?
Here are the average salaries per month of Legal Secretaries in South Africa:
| LEGAL SECRETARY LEVEL | AVERAGE MONTHLY SALARY |
| Entry – Level (0 to 3 years of experience) | R 14 000.00 |
| Middle Level (4 to 9 years of experience) | R 17 000.00 |
| Senior Level (more than 10 years of experience) | R 54 000.00 |
What Is Another Term For Legal Secretary?
The term Legal Secretary is sometimes interchanged with the following:
- Administrative Secretary
- Law Clerk
- Legal Assistant
- Assistant
What Courses Can I Do Without A Matric Certificate?
Here are the courses that you can do at Matric College without a Matric:
- Short Courses
- ICB Courses
- Adult Matric Course
- Matric Upgrade Course
ICB Courses
You can study the following ICB Courses without Matric:
Short Courses
Here are the Short Courses that you can study without Matric:
- Salon Management Course
- Nail Care Courses
- Make-up Courses
- Facial Skincare Courses
- Beauty Therapy Course
- First Aid Course
- Crèche Management Courses
- Child Day Care Courses
- Child Psychology Courses
- Tourism Management Courses
- Guest House Management Courses
- Events Management Courses
- Wedding Planning Courses
Adult Matric Course
By studying the Adult Matric Course, you can be able to meet the requirements of a Matric. With a Matric, you can do the following:
- Look for entry-level employment – With a Matric you can look for an entry-level position
- Study further – Depending on your Matric Pass Level, you can study further for the following:
Author: Collin Wilbesi
Editor: Connor Bergsma
Date Published: June 29, 2022